


INJASUTI - Place of the Weeping Water

by vanhunks



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-03 11:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 54,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6608401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanhunks/pseuds/vanhunks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set end season six-beginning season seven. Voyager responds to a distress signal and when they investigate the source of the signal, find a derelict drifting in space. There are no life signs but the away team headed by Commander Chakotay discover the bodies of sixty men, women and children. While they continue their investigations on the derelict, Janeway mysteriously vanishes from the bridge of Voyager. In a race against time, Chakotay and the rest of the crew must find their captain before she is lost to them forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The story is prefaced by a Prologue serving as Chapter 1. Please bear with the author if the prologue does not at all seem to resemble Trek. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Paramount owns Voyager, Janeway and Chakotay. The characters Marcus Kiridis, Queen Khaira, Kephthah and a few others on the planet Injasuti are my own creation.
> 
> Author's Note: The name "injasuti" is a Zulu word which literally means "place of the replete dog" and is a reference to a river when it overflows its banks.

* * *

 

**PROLOGUE**

**146 BCE -  The burning city of Carthage**

**From the historical records of Appian I of Alexandria**

 

**The city burned**.

The three roads that led to the Byrsa Hill were strewn with the remains of citizens - men, women, children, old men, old women, babies, slaves and mercenaries who had fought to protect their fortresses. There was smoke everywhere. Smoke and dust and the stench of rotting flesh in the heat of the great sun that beat down on the city even as the Roman soldiers' horses crushed those still alive.

It was the third day of the last surge. As I looked up, I saw bodies falling from the buildings - tall buildings of several stories lining the three streets that led to the Byrsa hill and the great citadel. Bodies plummeted into the dusty ground below, limp, writhing, run over by chariots, further crushed by wooden wheels that had no hearts, only hardness that let me hear how bones crunched and skulls cracked. Some were hurled into the street below; others climbed onto the ledges and plunged into broken heaps.

Street cleaners - who were these hardened men who worked for the enemy? - wielded their implements and swept bodies into the long ditches dug by Romans. They had no time to think that some of those bodies still had life in them. Without ceremony, they were swept into graves, some head first so that flailing feet dangled in the air, others falling in feet first, while soldiers beheaded those they thought were still alive.

Such was the carnage of the Roman destruction of Carthage, this city with its great war ships, its magnificent maritime fleet, its wealth and commerce, prosperity such as Rome could only dream of, great generals proudly bearing the name of Barca. A city worthy of surpassing Rome as the most important of the modern world. A city worthy of crushing Rome once again.

Did not Cato the Elder declare at the end of every speech he made in the Senate that Carthage be destroyed?

_Carthago delenda est!_

Again and again this phrase rang out, instilling a hatred for Carthage in the hearts and minds of the plebeians of Rome. Some of the less lazy, upon hearing that they would be paid, reported for clean-up duty, disposing of the bodies of the enemy.

Everywhere, every day and every minute, the sounds of wailing, of screaming, of helpless cries filled the air as the city was drained of its inhabitants. But there were too many citizens and Roman deserters who filled the city. They could not kill them all. After Byrsa burned, there were still fifty thousand Phoenicians - Carthaginians -  left. Rome's order was that no Carthaginians nor their Numidian slaves inhabit the city again. The trenches were piled with dead bodies, bodies frozen in the throes of death, with fear contorting their faces.

Scipio Aemelianus, the Roman general, sent word to Rome that all the gold and other valuable ores would arrive there soon. Once he was ready, he would bring the remaining prisoners to be sold into slavery.

The harbour, the pride of Carthage, stood bleeding as her ships went down one by one. The great maritime power that had been Carthage was gone. Her triremes were no match for the sleeker, faster quinqueremes of the Roman fleet. In the secondary harbour, the merchant vessels lay broken,  burning, stripped of their precious cargoes.

This day shall be the day of remembrance as I, Appian 1 of Alexandria, can only record what I have seen and heard from those poor souls who fled the city through the gateway to the south. I tried to follow the fleeing citizens as far as I could. Remaining in the distance, I was perhaps fortunate that I was so far away, ere I too be part of the strange event that followed.

As an historian and writer, I record the last experiences of some of the more than three thousand people who fled Carthage to the hinterland, to escape slavery and the destruction of their beloved city…

 ***

**"Hasdrubal's** wife has thrown herself and their two sons into the furnace of the Roman pyres. We must hurry. She was our last hope," said Baka, pulling his wife to him. Baka was dressed in a simple knee length tunic secured at the waist by a gold cord.

The cart was barely big enough to hold all their belongings and their two youngest children. He was sick with concern. Their eldest son was dead in the trenches and their daughter… Baka sighed. Hudda had wanted to collect her ashes from the Tophet first. Now their cart was burdened even further by the heavy stele with the inscription of her name and a cartouche of their goddess Tanith.

"But she was my cousin. She did not want to be a slave and called Hasdrubal a coward because he surrendered to Scipio."

"Your cousin was a fighter. A proud fighter, Hudda. But Isabel is dead. There is nothing we can do but flee south, into the hinterland, further and further to where Aethiopicus lies."

"Many women collected their children's ashes from the Tophet, my husband. We join many who flee, like us. We are never to be slaves…."

"Then we must hurry and join with my brother. I asked Hisham to come, but you know Hisham. He was always a rough neck, wanting to fight the Romans at every turn."

"Now Hisham is dead too. Only Sheke of your brothers remains. Sheke and his wife and children…" said Hudda reflectively as she pulled her veil over her mouth to drive away the stench of rotting bodies and dust of the city. From far away, they could hear the last cries of their people. She turned her head in the direction of the citadel, the proud building that was no more, razed by the soldiers of General Scipio Aemelianus Africanus. She sighed deeply as she jerked her head away from the bloodbath. She had seen babies hacked to death, small children, old men and women. Had Rome sunk to this? she wondered in bemusement.

Hudda was saddened very much. Isabel was her cousin. Isabel was royalty, descended from the queens of Tyre, indeed, from the great Jezebel who had graced the courts of her husband Ahab, King of Israel. Who would be their queen now? Isabel had no daughters.

"Does it matter, now, Hudda? Who shall be queen? Our city has been destroyed, emptied of its wealth. Soon the Romans will move in and give the city their own debauched identity. We will make new lives wherever we seek to settle."

"It matters very much, Baka, my beloved. I am thrust into the gloom of our ending. Yet we must still obey the laws of our faith, no matter where we go…"

"We lost one daughter, Hudda. I shall not lose another through Tanith, our goddess. Look what all our sacrifices have led to - the destruction of our land! Tanith! Pah!  She looks like you, did you know?"

"Our goddess? How can I look like someone I have never seen?"

"Then you do not understand what I mean."

"I do, Baka. I too am descended from the great queens of Tyre. We must obey our laws wherever we go…"

"Even if it means another child must be sacrificed?" retorted Baka sharply as he flicked at the mule with a stick. "We loved our little Abaisha. She did not have to be sacrificed!" The cart rolled forward. Hudda walked beside him. She would sit on the cart when she became too tired to walk. "You can change things, Hudda. We can change things. This is our chance."

"Then, Baka, when sorrow or terrible things befall us such as the destruction of our beloved city and its people, then look not to me to petition our Goddess Tanith for our merciful delivery from the enemy."

Baka gave an impatient click of the tongue; however, his expression changed to tenderness when he looked at his wife's crestfallen face.

"Look," he said as he turned his gaze in the direction of the south wall of the city. "The gateway beckons. The soldiers will wake up too late to realize that we have reached the gate. We must make haste."

"Yes, my husband."

 ***

**Gaius Titus Sirinius** wanted his wife to hurry. All who had agreed to make the journey to the hinterland were already in the process of leaving. Many Roman soldiers like himself who had taken Carthaginian wives were leaving too. Most of their friends had been brutally killed by the army of Rome. They had been called deserters, but to him, they were settlers with their new families in a land they had come to love. Not for them to take up arms against what Rome perceived as its enemy.

Now, the time had come to make haste. Already word had reached them that Hasdrubal Barca was about to surrender to Rome. What could the Carthaginian, descendant of the great and illustrious Hannibal Barca, do when his nation lay dying, destroyed by the sword and by the flames? He had asked this question and his wife had replied with, "Throw himself into the flames like Isabel and her sons, as a true and loyal citizen of Carthage who refused to become a slave." Now he looked at her and his heart filled with pride. She was a true and loyal citizen of Carthage; it was in her aristocratic bearing, her fierce defence of the wife of Carthage's military leader.

"Come, Gaia - "

The beautiful Phoenician woman, heavy with child, touched her belly and looked at her Roman husband.

"I do not mind that you call me "Gaia", Titus, but I also do not wish to forget that my mother named me Toreth, as shall be our child."

"If it is a girl. But if our child is a boy, he will be called "Gaius Titus Sirinius the Younger."

"It is too long and heavy a name for a child to bear, Titus. There. I call you Titus."

"Will you come now? We must join your sister and brother. They are near the wall, hidden in the foundry huts. There are no more weapons. What food we have, we must make last as long as we can or we shall die of starvation."

"Almost ready, my husband," said Toreth as she covered her head and smoothed the sleek black strands behind her ears. She had a cloth bag filled with their most basic foodstuffs, her combs, extra sheets for covering. Then she looked at her husband with concern. "Our chariot, Titus? What of our chariot?" she asked

"The horses have been taken by the soldiers. We shall have to make do with a small cart and donkey. It was all I could salvage from the Byrsa Hill."

The Centurion, once a proud Roman, carefully lifted his wife on to the cart before he too, climbed up. The donkey neighed once, then moved briskly after Titus whipped the animal to compliance. They were a little further up the hills, beyond the last rows of houses where the soldiers had not yet made their way to murder and plunder. Titus thought that Scipio must have rested many of his soldiers who had been fighting without ceasing for four to five days at a time.

He flung one arm round his wife's slender shoulders and with his free hand held on to the reins as he led the donkey further and further away from the burning city to join the ever growing throng of fleeing families heading toward the gateways in the walls of the city. His heart was sad. Once he had been a son of Rome, his family living on the Palatine Hill, patricians. Glancing at the soft, gentle planes of his wife's face he gave a smile. It was worth it. They were going where they could find a place to rest and live and see their children grow up.

One day…who knows? Jupiter and Eshmoun would smile on them and shower them with good fortune again.

"It is getting dark," Toreth remarked as she looked up at the sky.

"And yet it is not late," Titus replied with a frown.

"Perhaps the gods are with us after all," Toreth said, smiling at her husband.

Would the Roman soldiers follow them all the way to the hinterland? _Once darkness fell, all would be even._.

***

A **small camp near the ruins of the citadel.**

**General Scipio Aemelianus Africanus** sat on a stool near a table, poring over a scroll, when Tribune Sextus Flavius Metellus entered. Sextus faced General Scipio with a worried frown. He was exhausted, his breastplate covered in a mixture of dust and dried blood, his broadsword held firmly in his left hand while his right hand, the palm facing down, was stretched in salute.

"Ave, General Scipio."

Scipio acknowledged the salute then stood up, his own weary eyes, red from lack of sleep, holding the old centurion's gaze.

"You have news of the fleeing hordes of Phoenicians?"

"Aye, sir. Through the southern gateways in the great wall of the city. They move towards the hinterland, deeper to the south. What are your orders, sir?"

"Follow them. Kill them all. And if you cannot kill them all, we will sell them in Rome as part of my triumph."

"Sir, my son…"

"Quintus Metellus is a deserter, Sextus, and should be treated with the same contempt we treat those who go against Rome. He has chosen a way of life away from his Roman heritage and has betrayed Rome. He deserves no better than the inhabitants of this city. I will hear from you that you have slain the fleeing mobs…"

Sextus stood rigidly at attention as he listened to General Scipio. The words were heavy, but delivered with decisiveness, a certain hardness which he had come to abhor in the older man. His son had chosen a Carthaginian wife and they had two sons whom he had seen only twice, once near the edge of the city, close to the Tophet when Quintus had wanted them to meet their grandfather. After that, Sextus Metellus was forced to resume being the enemy of his son. It was he who had suggested they try and flee the city.

Quintus had not wanted to leave.

The centurion gave a sigh, realising the conversation with General Scipio was over, his directive ringing like a sounding cymbal in his ears. He turned, his heart heavy as he headed towards his encampment where the troops were resting. Fervently he prayed to Jupiter, to Bellona, to Diana and Vesta that his son, his daughter-in-law and grandchildren be protected even as he called his men together to hunt them down.

**** 

**The portents** were in the skies. All around, Carthage lay bleeding, smoke from the raging fires reaching the heavens, then settling like a pall of death over the city, with the stench that seemed to pervade the air even beyond the city walls. They were many - perhaps three thousand strong -  who moved with a hurried air across the plain. Not many old men and women, I noticed. They had been the first to die at the hands of the soldiers, for their movements had been slow, their actions laborious. No, this band of fleeing citizens were made up of young men and women, children, and the middle-aged. They pushed carts, or accompanied carts drawn by mules, by old horses, by donkeys.

Here and there, I could see chariots. I thought it strange at first but later understood its full meaning Seeing these chariots brought the realisation that Roman deserters were among the fleeing mass.

Some were in their uniforms, and I could only conclude that, tired of fighting and killing unarmed civilians by the thousands, they had made the decision to leave, too. Whatever their fate or wherever their destinies lay, would be linked closely with the very people they had come to kill.

Some say a new disgust with Rome's decadent ways and its desire to destroy that which it feared with clinical ruthlessness changed the hearts and minds of many tired Roman soldiers who deserted.

Some say it was love that transcended barriers of culture, religion and race.

Whatever the reason, they added to the numbers fleeing the city.

A band of Roman legionaries was in pursuit of the fleeing citizens. They were heavily armed horsemen who moved swiftly across the plain, fast catching up with them. The sky had darkened with brooding black cloud billows hovering above those in flight and those in pursuit. Below, dust clouds whipped up around the horsemen as they sped toward the three thousand inhabitants making their way south.

As an historian, I, Appian I of Alexandria, must at all times maintain my objectivity in recording events and those occurrences witnessed by me or recounted to me by others. I have hoped over the years that my narrators were faithful in their accounts as I seek at this moment to be faithful in my recording of what I witnessed.

The hovering black billows seemed not to be billows of clouds at all. It appeared to me that they were alive - thick, rolling dark clouds that moved with great energy. There was no sound, such as cracks of lightning or heavy rolls of thunder. It was not cold, for it was the dry season. No rain had fallen in three months.

I saw some of the fleeing group pause to look up at the darkened sky. Perhaps if I strained my ears, I might have heard the cries of children. The horses pulled up, their hooves clawing the empty air. Some threw their riders and ran off, into the crowd of people.

Then I saw it, as I am certain all who were fleeing, including the pursuing Romans, also saw it. A reddish burn around the edges of the cloud billows began to swell out and make visible something strange in the sky. It was immense, of a metal that shone like white gold. It was shaped like a giant Roman shield. As I noted earlier, there was no sound until suddenly this giant object made a noise, like the screeching of a million owls. But the sound was like an echo, coming from a great distance. The Roman soldiers stopped in their tracks, as well as many of the fleeing Phoenicians, as if an unseen power from the object in the blue firmament pulled them back. As great as the size of Carthage itself, it cast the hinterland in darkness.

I was filled with wonder and fear. An object in the sky - why did it not fall to the ground? Did General Scipio also experience this new darkness that would make the day night? Did the fighting Romans in the city see it? Did the great Carthaginian Hasdrubal Barca see it?

Suddenly, a shaft of light came down from the object, like a sunbeam streaming through a window in summer, only this one swathed everyone in it - the fleeing Carthage survivors, the Roman deserters, the horses, ploughs, carts, donkeys, mules, the soldiers hunting them, dogs following their masters and mistresses, wooden cages with exotic birds, a few goats, some sheep, a camel or two.  It was a white light that made them appear like angels rising to the heavens, for they all looked up at the source of the light.

The object hovered strangely and then suddenly, everyone and everything bathed in its light dissolved in an instant, as if the light swallowed them. They were all gone - the Carthaginians, men, women, children, babies, Numidian slaves, traders from neighbouring lands, Roman deserters and dissidents, the Roman soldiers who hunted them on horseback, some soldiers riding chariots, others on foot. They were gone. I sat on a large rock outside the south gateway of Carthage. In the distance, much like a tableau, such as I have seen in wall carvings in the temple of Abydos in my beloved Egypt, where stories were told upon the ancient walls, or in caves or frescos in the temples of Rome three thousand men, women, children, Roman soldiers, deserters, pursuers in one single moment disappeared from the face of the Earth.

They were gone, all of them. Just as suddenly as the strange object appeared, it disappeared from sight, and the sky became clear. It was light of day again. The vessel was gone, and with it, all the people who had stood in its light. Like a memory, or an echo in a dark cavern, I wondered if what I’d seen had really happened. I blinked many times as I looked up at the sky, but it was clear, with not a cloud that could mar the beauty of it. Did it happen?

It did. Perhaps two or three Roman soldiers who lagged behind the full charge of horsemen, those who were too tired to follow, came to rest where I was resting on a rock just outside the south gateway of the city.

"These are strange portents in the heavens. It is a punishment from the gods, surely," said one foot soldier.

"How are we to report of this to General Scipio?" asked the other.

"Strange gods have carried them away in a mighty vessel. They are all dead!"

"Perhaps then, that is what you should report to General Scipio," I suggested. "A fight broke out, and all perished, save a few who were left standing to tell the tale."

The three soldiers nodded vigorously, for their minds could not absorb what they had seen. There was nothing they could explain. How could they explain the unexplained? They were unable to take the mystery and divine it. Even I stood, unable to understand the mystery.

What I know is this: I think those people's lives were saved by an unknown force. A force that took them away from their hardships and certain death, from complete annihilation. Such atrocities that have been committed by the Romans in the name of the expansion of its empire, this genocide, the total laying waste of a noble land and its people shall be visited on Rome again. Is it not in the nature of empires to rise and then, ignominiously, fall to a lesser people?

And what shall you write, Appian I of Alexandria?

What shall I write?

I shall write the truth, for in the name of truth I am prepared to die.

 

*****************

 

END PROLOGUE

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

Commander Chakotay glanced up sharply as Captain Kathryn Janeway made her way towards her command chair. Her movements were agitated, a little frown marring her forehead. When she sat down next to him, it was with a heavy sigh before silence settled between them again. She kept her gaze riveted to the main viewscreen.

"Is it safe to come out now?" he asked her several minutes later.

She turned to him, giving him a little sheepish grin.

"My apologies, Commander. I have been feeling a little under the weather lately. Too many hostile battles, command…you know the drill…"

"Understood, Captain."  He felt relieved, glad that it wasn't anything worse than just plain tiredness. "But you were due for your medical two weeks ago," he added, bolstered by her apologetic look.

"Don't remind me…"

"It's my job, remember?"

"As counsellor? Friend? Mentor?"

He leaned over and touched her hand resting lightly on the console between them.

"Purely my job as First Officer. Our captain should know when to rest. It's been a difficult two months for all of us. Mostly, for the senior officers…"

"I…thank you, Commander. I should tell you it wasn't a good session, though."

"I suspected as much. You went down there like a bear with a sore head. The doctor can be an irritation at times - "

"At times, Commander? I should have B'Elanna reprogramme some of those subroutines. The ones that have to do with keeping his mouth shut and his eyes open. Well, you know what I mean."

"It's only once a month. Brave it, Captain. You've accumulated four days off duty."

He let his words hover between them, wanting her to realise how necessary it was that she take her off duty time seriously. He was ready to battle her again. The EMH had sent him a message that Captain Janeway had been more difficult than usual.

"Chakotay," she began softly, her shoulders sagging. The gesture was her form of truce, however brief. "You know how I hate these medicals. They - "

" - take you away from your duty, they impede in the running of the vessel, they expose niggly reminders that you need to relax, eat, take nutrient supplements, build up your strength again since the last time you almost died from the Heptrechian Flu."

He had remained by her side for almost four days straight until the doctor had him forcibly removed by the Security detail headed not by Tuvok, but Magnus Rollins. Rollins had brooked no argument from him, stating tersely that "the crew needs an alert Commander Chakotay to lead them home; Captain Janeway is on the road to recovery." He had gone to take a shower, slept for almost eighteen hours then resumed duty on the bridge, hailing the doctor every two hours to monitor Kathryn's recovery. It shook him to the core that, at the height of her illness, she had been too weak to even move her eyelids. He had insisted, with the EMH supporting him, that she recuperate for a week at least. During that week he had been like a watchdog, making sure she didn't move anywhere on the ship doing things that might tire her already weakened system. Sighing, Chakotay looked at his friend. Her tetchiness had abated, in its place was a smile that formed slowly on her lips.

She removed her hand from under his, this time placing it over his hand, patting it placatingly. He felt the odd twinge again. She could leave her hand there as long as she desired.

"Hey…you said it's your job to keep me in line, okay? I shall count on you for future reminders. I want to thank you again for looking after me when I was ill. I'm in great health, which I'm sure the EMH has already informed you. I don't mind, Commander, but right now, I have a ship to run and a planet to seek out for much needed rest and relaxation. Our crew is suffering from cabin fever."

"You can say that again!" he responded with heartfelt agreement. "Did you know that Lieutenant Kiridis has yet to take shore leave?”

"What?! He has never taken shore leave in six years?" Kathryn asked, her surprise genuine.

"Oh, he's taken leave, make no mistake. On the holodeck, off-duty days spent with Lessing and Sam Wildman in the hydroponics bay. Most of his free time is spent studying exobiology, strange tongues…"

Chakotay smiled at Kathryn's expression. She looked aghast and, he also sensed, a little guilty. He dealt with crew duty and crew rotations. She had always trusted him with that aspect of life on Voyager. Lieutenant Kiridis apparently never liked visiting other worlds, preferring to remain in his quarters, or, when practically forced out of hibernation by his friends, to spend time on the holodeck. According to his fellow crewmen housed on the same deck, Kiridis was not much of a communicator. "He's too much into studying books and languages, Commander," Chell, the Bolian had told him once. After that Chakotay had tried, and the one time Kiridis had gone down to a planet, he had been back on Voyager within twelve hours, complaining that he'd much rather spend time with plants in the hydroponics bay.

"I promise you," he soothed. "Marcus Kiridis will go on shore leave the very next planet we reach, Captain, even if I have to chain him to the first city's main obelisk."

"An obelisk?"

"Since he's into ancient cultures, I'm sure any first city will oblige."

"You're certain he isn't a throwback to an ancient scribe?"

"Apparently he claims to have Macedonian forebears…uh…according to Chell."

Kathryn chuckled. Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief. The medical was almost forgotten now.

"Thank you, Commander," she said softly.

He nodded, then turned away quickly, facing the main viewscreen. Her wide grin, her open regard, her unabashed appraisal always managed to cause his emotions to boil, to fill him with hope. A warmth spread through him. He had to banish her beauty or…be vanquished by her smile alone.

"And while we're on shore leave," he quickly recovered, "we should - "

"Also see what provisions and dilithium we can procure from the planet."

This time Kathryn's smile broadened, embracing him completely. He felt a punch to the gut.

"Good," was all he could manage.

***

After a few minutes, Ensign Harry Kim broke the silence.

"Captain?"

"Mr Kim, what is it?"

Kathryn Janeway rose, her eyes on Chakotay. She frowned heavily. He felt it too, as did the whole bridge. A slight shift, like a phantom passing over them or through them, through the entire ship.

"We're being scanned, Captain - "

"Noted, Mr Kim. Source?"

"Unknown. There are no vessels or relay stations within a hundred thousand kilometres."

"None on long range sensors?"

"None as yet, Captain."

"We'll maintain yellow alert. Meanwhile, keep scanning, Harry. I need to know what's out there."

"Whatever it is, it knows about us," Chakotay  muttered, his fingers on the panels between the command chairs.

"While we know nothing about it. We're vulnerable, Commander."

"It may be not be hostile," he said. "Maybe just a cursory glance?"

"Cursory or not, I don't like its tone!"

After that, Kathryn remained on her feet. He got up too and stood behind Paris at the conn, staring out the viewscreen.

"There's something out there, Paris," he muttered softly.

"I hope it's an invitation to the dance, Commander. We could use some downtime…"

"This sector is almost devoid of planetary life. The only systems - "

"Almazin Binary System. Still ten light-years away…"

An idea made him turn quickly to join Kathryn who was seated in her command chair again. He sat down heavily next to her.

"Perhaps it’s from the Almazin System? It's one of only three star systems in this sector…"

"Worth investigating, Chakotay."

"Good. I'd hate to disappoint Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis…"

Chakotay was gratified when Kathryn's approving smile relaxed her face a little. She was herself in dire need of shore leave, and he had already planned on enforcing it upon her. They had time; a few weeks wouldn't make that much difference. Kathryn needed to recharge, but first, she needed to decompress, to allow the constant stress of the long hours and double shifts, of command and unpopular decisions to flow from her body, then to fill herself with new emotional nutrients. He studied her profile, mostly from his peripheral vision. He wished so much that she'd let go, acknowledge him as more than just her first officer, friend and mentor. It was his desire, something he'd only sublimated because he sensed she was not ready for anything more than friendship. Oh well, if she kept her hand over his in the gentle caress he'd come to love and enjoy, he supposed that he could live with that.

He had almost forgotten about the earlier scan when Harry Kim's voice sounded up.

"Captain…"

Instantly Kathryn was on the alert. She rose to her feet, hands on her hips.

"Yes, Mr Kim?"

"I've got something, on long range sensors. It could be a distress signal. Nothing recognizable from previous sectors we've traveled through…"

"But it's a distress call?"

"I'm certain it is, Captain. I've received no hails. This is a subspace signal…"

"Distance?"

"Approximately fifty thousand kilometres away," replied Kim, his eyes riveted to his consoles.

"Determine how long ago it was sent."

"Aye, Captain. It's repeated at intervals of a minute apart. It's an automated signal."

"Could be a stricken vessel," Paris said.

"The signal was sent about two hours ago," came from Harry, who didn't look up as he spoke.

"That can mean only one thing," Chakotay said. "Whoever sent the signal…we may be too late…"

Kathryn looked at him, nodding in agreement.

"Mr Paris," she ordered, "plot a course for the source of the signal. Bring us to within a thousand kilometres, or as soon as we have visual."

"Aye, Captain," Tom responded swiftly, quickly altering course, heading for the source of the distress call.

An hour later he dropped out of warp, engaging impulse power.

"We're here, Captain."

"On screen," Janeway ordered.

A second later a ship came into view, about half the size of Voyager. It was shaped like a needle, its point facing Voyager. There were no visible signs of viewports, nacelles, or markings of affiliation and identification, although the point boasted a small indentation which was probably its bridge. Chakotay grinned as he thought of his earlier repartee with Janeway about chaining Kiridis to an obelisk.

"We have our obelisk, Captain," he told her. She glanced at him, her mouth pulling into a tight smile.

Then, "Mr Tuvok?"

"A derelict, Captain. The vessel is dead in space. No engines running. Curious, there are no phaser banks that I can detect…"

"Life signs?"

"None, Captain."

"Any sign that there has been life on board?"

A quick scan by Tuvok. A few seconds later he responded. "There are lifeforms on board but none alive."

"None alive?" Janeway asked, jerking her attention to the space ship.

"I suspected we might be too late," Chakotay said softly. "We should maintain yellow alert, Captain. The vessel doesn't appear to be damaged."

"Agreed. Mr Kim, maintain scans of the region…"

"Aye, Captain."

Kathryn Janeway turned to face Chakotay, giving him a quirky smile.

"Well, Commander, it seems your prayers have been answered. I want you to head an away team to investigate the vessel. Take Tuvok, Ayala and Torres. I'll include your Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis in the away team…"

"Aye, Captain."

He moved towards the turbolift.

"Commander…"

He turned back, frowned at the tone of her voice.

"Be careful, Chakotay."

He smiled and nodded. There was no holding of hands this time, but he imagined that her palm rested against his chest as she spoke the words. They were comforting, her concern for his safety reassuring.

Ten minutes later, the away team assembled in the transporter room, ready to beam to the stricken vessel.

*****

Chakotay kept his eye on Lieutenant Kiridis. The man looked out of sorts, like he was loath to be going anywhere, even an away mission. Chakotay knew him to be a Starfleet trained officer who had served on several ships before being commissioned to Voyager. Kiridis looked red. His skin was blotched, his hair a riot of curls and his ears…

"Kiridis!"

"Sir!"

"This is your chance to impress the captain. Understood?"

"Understood, sir. It's my first away mission…"

"Then, Lieutenant, let it not be your last."

"No, sir. I am honoured to be a part of this mission."

 _If he knew why he was on the team, he'd probably skulk back into hiding_ , thought Chakotay.

"Ready?"

The rest of the team comprising of Tuvok, Ayala and Torres nodded, their expressions a mixture of sombreness and expectation, the age old thrill of the unknown beckoning. They stood on the transporter pad. Chakotay nodded to Ensign Mulcahy on transporter duty. Seconds later they were engulfed in the soft glissando of the transporter beam before they dematerialised.

His first sensation after materialising on the alien ship was total darkness. Mulcahy had entered co-ordinates for the centre section of the vessel. No engines were running, as Tuvok had correctly stated. They were in a large room; several passages led from this section. Torres flicked on her wrist light, an action followed by the others. Her tricorder already open, she began scanning, as did Chakotay and Tuvok.

"I do not expect lifesigns, Commander," Tuvok offered.

Chakotay nodded grimly.

"Okay, let's break up. Kiridis, you're with me. B'Elanna, you and Ayala find the engine room. Tuvok, find the bridge. This vessel cannot just be devoid of life. There must be something - "

They nodded, then moved off into different directions. Kiridis followed him, and after about ten minutes, B'Elanna hailed him.

"Chakotay here. Anything, Torres?"

"Found the engine room, Commander. Everything's been shut down, as if someone had given the order to keep the ship dead in the water."

"Continue looking…"

He continued down a small passage, then paused by an open doorway to what seemed like a cabin. He shone his wrist light into the depths of the cabin, then took at step forward. Suddenly he stumbled against something soft.

"What the - ?"

He stopped abruptly, and looked down. On the floor lay a woman, her arms wrapped tightly around a very small child. Kiridis gave a loud gasp. Chakotay bent down, Kiridis following him. Chakotay turned the head of the dead woman, then drew in his breath sharply, his brow creasing in a deep frown.

"She appears human, Commander," whispered Kiridis next to him.

"I see that," replied Chakotay as he touched the rich dark hair of the woman.

That same moment, Tuvok hailed him from the ship's bridge.

"I know what you're going to say, Tuvok."

"We have found eight bodies, Commander. There may be more. There's something else…"

"Confirm what I've discovered," he said, instantly on the alert.

"They are humans, Commander Chakotay."

"I know. We have just discovered the bodies of a woman and her baby…"

"Torres to Chakotay…"

"Chakotay here. Have you found any bodies?"

"And they're humans. Not only that. There are children - the bodies of children here as well. They seem to be under the age of two earth years…the children are in the arms of their mothers…" B'Elanna's voice sounded sharp, metallic in its outrage.

By the time she had finished reporting, Chakotay and Kiridis stumbled upon more bodies. Three females with their babies. All human. He frowned heavily, then called the away team to assemble on the bridge of the vessel. Fifteen minutes later they were on the bridge, lit only by their wrist lights.

"I couldn't power up the engines, Chakotay. The codes are encrypted," B'Elanna said. "However, the distress signal originated from the engineering station…"

"Tuvok?"

"Altogether twenty eight females, four males and twenty eight children, Commander. This is most curious. Only the Liberty, Voyager and the Equinox have carried humans here in the Delta Quadrant as well as the 37s whose planet we left four years ago. These bodies…they are not alien lifeforms that have assumed human form. Their DNA is human. It is most curious. It would be interesting to know how they arrived in the Delta Quadrant…"

"Perhaps in recent years? Brought here by the Caretaker?" Ayala asked.

"I do not think so," offered Kiridis, who appeared to blush in the semi-dark as he spoke up for the first time. "They may have been here longer than we think."

"And you have a theory on that?" Torres barked, sending the man into sudden sullenness. "There are babies here. Babies who died…or were _murdered_ …"

"Well, until we transport the body of one adult and one child to Voyager's sickbay, we won't know, so leave conjecture aside. Torres, check out everything. This ship didn't die all by itself. It may have been sabotaged."

Torres left the bridge, heading in the direction of engineering. Ayala followed her. Tuvok remained with him and Kiridis.

Chakotay hit his commbadge.

"Chakotay to Janeway."

"Janeway here. What have you found, Commander?"

"Captain, it's more serious than we thought. We discovered the bodies of twenty eight females, four males and twenty eight babies - "

"What?!"

"There's more. It seems the vessel has been sabotaged. All engines have been shut down. No life support, no auxiliary engines, nothing. We're still looking for clues."

"Cause of death?"

"We're transporting two bodies to the medical bay for autopsies. Uh...Captain…"

"What is it, Chakotay? You sound strained."

"The bodies are all human, Captain."

"Humanoid?"

"No. I mean human. Typical bipeds like us, with the identical human genome. We'll remain here until Torres has completed her inspection of the engine room and warp coils. Meanwhile, I'd like a secondary team to beam over. We've found some casings that can be used as coffins. These unfortunate individuals should be given a final resting place."

"They may be from the Almazin Binary System, Chakotay. It's the closest system. The distress signal was sent not long before Harry Kim picked it up on long range sensors, which makes that system their most likely source. If you suspect sabotage, it might very well not be the best thing to do to return them to their homeworld right now. We have absolutely no idea of how and why they died. If the ship was sabotaged and the people killed, I agree we may have to be careful."….

"Aye, Captain. Chakotay out."

***

Torres arranged for the transport of two of the bodies to Voyager's sickbay. They didn't wait for the second away team to beam over before they continued looking around. Kiridis had his eyes riveted on markings he’d discovered on the bulkheads on the bridge. Similar markings were found on the bulkheads of the main corridor leading to the bridge. They appeared to him like ancient script. He had given them a cursory glance when they had gone searching for clues. Now, suddenly, it seemed as if Kiridis had come to life.

"Never noticed it until now…" Chakotay said reflectively.

Kiridis brushed his fingers over the markings, from left to right, in an up-down zigzag fashion.

"We…are…the…Injasuti…" he said slowly as he followed each glyph.

"What?"

"That is what the text is saying, Commander."

Chakotay gaped at Kiridis in some astonishment. He swallowed, then finally found his tongue.

"Kiridis, have you been hiding your credentials?"

"I did not think that anyone would be interested, Commander. These people are from the planet Injasuti."

Just then Chakotay's commbadge beeped.

"Janeway to Chakotay."

"Chakotay here. What is it, Captain?"

"The crew of that vessel were most likely from the eleventh planet of the Almazin Binary System. A planet called 'Injasuti'."

"I know, Captain. Kiridis here has deciphered some ancient text found on the ship's bulkheads."

"Kiridis? He can do that?"

"Aye, Captain."

"That means - "

"They've been in the Delta Quadrant far longer than us, at least."

"Commander, finish up. I want the away teams back on Voyager as soon as possible."

"Aye, Captain."

***

"Commander, all the bodies have been placed in casings," Tuvok reported later. "I've estimated that they died ten hours ago. While their bodies have not yet decomposed, rigor mortis has already begun to set in."

"They deserve the dignity of a burial, a final resting place. But it's not our place to perform burial rites." 

"I concur. We do not know about families on their homeworld who might want to perform such rituals themselves."

"Noted, Tuvok. We need to find their families."

"Also, I have found traces of certain gases that had been spread through the vessel. It is possible that they may have been poisoned. They all died at approximately the same time.

"We'll know for sure once we're back on Voyager and the doctor has completed the autopsies," Chakotay added. "Somehow it gives me a creepy feeling of being connected…"

"Because they are human?" Tuvok asked.

Chakotay remained quiet for several seconds, an image of the first mother and child he had stumbled upon coming to him. The woman had dark, almost black hair in long tresses that fanned about her and her baby. Her skin looked tanned. She resembled his people on Dorvan. For a moment he thought about his family who had died there, then pushed that thought violently from him. Could something similar have happened here?

"Yes, Tuvok," he said at length. "Because they're human."

***

"There, that's everything seen to. Once we're all back on Voyager, we'll head for the Almazin System. These unfortunate individuals must have family who don't know what has happened to them. We have no idea why they were killed," Chakotay said to the away team. "Once the doctor has completed the autopsies, we will know for certain how they died and probably be closer to knowing why. The fact that the ship has been left a derelict with no life support systems running, its crew dead, tells us that we must suspect foul play."

Chakotay looked at the away teams. They appeared calm now, not showing the initial shock that had marked their faces. Kiridis appeared strangely animated since he had deciphered what Chakotay thought to be cuneiform script.

"It's Phoenician, Commander. Quite easy to figure out once you get the hang of it."

"And you got the hang of it," B'Elanna retorted, her voice still sounding outraged.

"Were these people speaking an ancient language?" Chakotay asked, ignoring B'Elanna's unkind tone.

"That may very well be. I've…I've taken images of the glyphs for further studying."

"Good. You can team up with Seven of Nine in Astrometrics. I want answers, Kiridis."

"We won't know until we reach Injasuti, Commander."

"That's up to the Captain to decide. Now that we've found a ship full of dead bodies, she might want to play it safe right now. Shore leave will have to be put on hold until we have this cleared up…"

"Well, Commander, I should think that the captain would be curious to know where in the Delta Quadrant humans have settled. Humans who might be speaking Phoenician," Ayala said.

"It is possible that a planet exists mimicking Earth's attributes, including her people," Tuvok offered sagely, raising one eyebrow. "Their mode of dress, such as I've seen on the males, is not unlike that of Vulcan…"

"Or any of the ancient cultures of Earth…" retorted Ayala.

"Also," remarked Kiridis in a dry tone, "if they are actually speaking Phoenician, they must have been in this quadrant at least two thousand years."

"That long?"

"The language has died out. The great Queen Jezebel was from Sidon, a Phoenician city. She spoke the language. The last ancients who spoke it were the people of Carthage, vanquished by the Romans in 146 BCE. Until the late twenty first century the people of Malta still spoke Phoenician."

"Cut the history," began Torres.

Kiridis opened his mouth to speak again, then closed it suddenly. Chakotay felt a little sorry for him, being bullied so by Torres.

"Okay, that's it," Chakotay cut in. "We'll transport the second away team first…"

Too many loose ends, he decided, leading to too much conjecture. Before B'Elanna ate Kiridis for breakfast, he had to get them all back on Voyager. The bodies had been laid in coffins, the babies with their mothers, and all the coffins ready to be transported to Voyager.

*****

On Voyager, Kathryn Janeway stood next to the biobed in the medical bay, looking down at the body of the blonde haired young woman. On the other bed lay a child of no more than two years. The child looked like the dead woman; Kathryn realised that Chakotay had most likely transported a mother and child and had not selected the bodies randomly.

"Give me an hour, Captain. I'll have a full report for you by then," the EMH said, waiting for her to nod and make her way to the sickbay doors. She realised he wasn't going to continue until she left.

"You have an hour, Doctor," she said tersely before turning on her heel.

Back on the bridge, she waited for the away teams to report.

"Captain, by now you have seen the bodies of the woman and child we transported to the medical bay," Chakotay communicated to her from the alien vessel.

"Yes, they're definitely human," she replied.

"Also, Kiridis here has some startling information which he'll report as soon as we're back on Voyager."

"Kiridis?"

"Aye, Captain. Additional information about the Injasuti - their form of communication, to be exact. We'll have a more detailed report. Chakotay out."

Kathryn moved to stand behind Paris at the conn.

"Tom, take us on a course heading for Injasuti. If anything, I'd like to know why sixty men, women and babies died on a ship. The entire crew…"

"Aye, Captain."

"Captain!" Harry's voice sounded up again and Kathryn swung round instantly to look in his direction.

"I believe another scan is in pro- "

"What? Anot - "

"Captain! Captain!!"

Harry's voice sounded horror-struck. Tom Paris swung round, his eyes growing large.

Kathryn Janeway felt it, like a phantom entering her body. She looked surprised, her mouth gaping.

In the next instant she was gone.

 

***** 

 

**END CHAPTER TWO**

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

The officers on the bridge were stunned as they stared at the spot where Kathryn Janeway had been standing seconds ago. Like an apparition that appeared briefly only to disappear again, the captain's body merged into the air and was gone before they could react. There was no transporter beam, no sound whatsoever. She simply dissolved before their eyes.

Harry Kim gulped several times, his eyes watery from the effort to curb his emotions. He had sensed the scan, reacting perhaps a second after Captain Janeway began to disappear quietly before his eyes. Now he stood, his hands still on the console, his trembling fingers still splayed across the panelled array before him.

"I…tried to stop it," the words burst from him. "It was too quick…I couldn't stop it…"

Tom Paris rose from the conn, his chair immediately occupied by his stand-in who had been sitting at a station to his left. He faced Harry, his closest friend on Voyager.

"I doubt whether you could have done anything to stop it, Harry. We just have to go out and search for her… Harry! Are you listening?" Harry Kim's eyes lost their glazed look as he focused on Tom. Tom patted his hands. "We'll go and search for our captain, okay? She's out there somewhere, and hopefully, unhurt…"

Harry nodded wordlessly, his fingers beginning their furious entering of keys and codes. He pursed his lips.

"Okay, Harry?" Tom urged again. "We've been through similar and worse situations, and every time we've succeeded in finding missing crew, no matter how long it took, right?"

"It may be the Injasuti," Harry muttered. "The signature is the same as the earlier scan…"

"Good. That's a starting point."

Tom Paris hit his commbadge. He was suddenly cast into the role of the most senior officer on board Voyager.

"Paris to Chakotay."

"Chakotay here. What's up, Paris?"

"You'd better get back here as soon as possible. In fact, Commander, you should beam over before the rest of the away teams. We've lost the Captain."

"What?!"

"The same scan as earlier. The Captain's gone, Commander. She literally vanished into thin air."

"I'll be there. Chakotay out."

"Well, Harry," Tom began, "there's one man who's going to deck you for losing the captain - "

"But I - "

Right at that moment, Chakotay materialised on the bridge. He scowled at Tom and Harry.

"Gentlemen, we have work to do. Find the captain, investigate the murder of a ship full of humans and determine where, when and how those humans landed in the Delta Quadrant. But most importantly, find the captain!"

"Aye, Commander!" Tom and Harry chorused.

"Torres to Chakotay."

"Chakotay here. We have a situation here. Ready to beam back to Voyager?"

"Yes. We've transported thirty one coffins to the cargo bay. We're ready to leave, Commander. What seems to be the problem?"

"We have lost Captain Janeway. I'll fill you in when you're back on board. Chakotay out."

Chakotay's commbadge beeped again. "The doctor to Commander Chakotay."

"Chakotay here. Report."

"You need to come to sick bay, Commander."

"Noted. Chakotay out."

Minutes later, the two away teams arrived, the coffins from the alien vessel resting in the cargo bays. B'Elanna glared at Harry Kim. "Thanks a lot, Harry," she said accusingly.

"But - but…I…" stammered Harry.

"Stop picking on everyone, Torres. Meeting at 1500 in the briefing room," Chakotay cut in curtly. Then he moved to the turbolift and seconds later, was gone.

 

****

Tom seated himself at the conn again and entered new coordinates, then turned to look at Harry. There was no smile this time, only an urgency to locate their captain.

"We're heading for the Almazin System…"

"The bodies on the alien vessel were those of humans, Tom," said Harry. "How do you think they got here?"

"No idea. But we're going to find out."

"You're not worried about the captain?"

"Dammit, Harry! What do you want to me to do? Bawl my eyes out? We're Starfleet. Weird, as Captain Janeway herself told you once, is part of the job. We won't leave this sector until she's back safely on Voyager."

"Or you're a dead man," Torres added, scowling.

 

 *****

 

"According to Harry Kim and Tom Paris, Captain Janeway simply dissolved into thin air," Chakotay told the doctor.

"It sounds, Commander, a lot like the way Voyager got pulled into this quadrant. There is a possibility that she might be injured."

"I certainly hope she's unharmed. We're heading for the Almazin System, Doctor. It's one of three star systems in this sector. My guess is that the captain has been whisked away to that region."

"Commander, judging by the timing alone, I'd say that her disappearance is connected with the original scan of the ship. It may not be Voyager's technology our aliens are after, but perhaps the ship's commanding officer."

"They couldn't know that just by scanning the vessel, Doctor. I'm thinking whoever it is, knew what they were looking for. Like the Caretaker, it was looking for certain matches to replace it. It may be the same thing with the captain. It could have been any other crewman or officer on Voyager, but the captain was chosen."

"In which case we'd better hurry, Commander. The Captain's life may be in danger."

"We're two days away from the Almazin sector. I've instructed Mr Paris to engage maximum warp. We can't go any faster even if we wanted to get there right now. I'm conducting a briefing in half an hour. Is there anything I need to know before we commence?"

"Yes. That's why I called you to sick bay, Commander."

"Anything on the two bodies?"

The EMH frowned heavily.

"Do you know what phosgene is?"

This time it was Chakotay who frowned, his brow knitting together. "A gas…"

"Yes. Poison gas to be precise. Phosgene was used during warfare in twentieth century Earth, First World War. I found traces of this gas in the bodies of the woman and child…"

"We suspected they might have been poisoned, Doctor. Tuvok determined that gas had been spread through the vessel. None of the victims presented any external injuries. We found the bodies of the males slumped over their consoles on the bridge of the alien vessel. The babies and small children were in the arms of their mothers…."

"This is definitely a mother and her child, Commander. The phosgene has been refined to its present form so that the bodies didn't contort during their death throes. It may have caught them by surprise. I wonder you didn't smell anything…"

"No, there was no smell."

"Then it is odourless. The gas used during the war smelled of freshly cut grass…"

"Well, doctor, this is part of the mystery solved."

"They are humans, Commander. No other humans besides those of the Liberty, the Equinox and Voyager are in the Delta Quadrant. There were the 37s, brought to their planet by the Briori. Could these humans have been brought here by the Caretaker as well? We know of no other humans here…"’  

"Doctor, I think that when we find Captain Janeway, we will also solve the mystery of these people living in a quadrant far away from their original homeworld…"

 ****

 

In the briefing room, Chakotay headed the meeting of senior officers.

"Commander," began Neelix, "we have traveled out of the sectors known to me. I have never heard of Injasuti, nor the binary system of which it is a part."

"Understood, Neelix. But while we're going to locate and rescue Captain Janeway, you might keep an eye out for suitable provisions Voyager could use…"

"Yes. We are short on rations and need to replenish our dwindling reserves."

"Thank you. Tuvok?"

"It would be wise to keep the bodies in cold storage, Commander. That way we do not interfere in the culture and life of another homeworld. They may wish to dispose of the bodies themselves…"

"They?" B'Elanna scowled. "They murdered sixty people!"  
"We must still observe the Prime Directive, Lieutenant Torres," Tuvok explained. "They must be informed of the deaths of their loved ones. We cannot perform the burials. That would be interfering in the affairs of another homeworld. We have no idea of the levels of their technology - "

"It's superior enough that they could whisk the captain away from a great distance," Harry Kim said.

"Agreed. Still, it would be prudent to wait until we reach Injasuti."

"Well then," Chakotay said, concluding the meeting. "We'll store the bodies. We know now that they were gassed to death, using a variant of the old Earth poison gas phosgene."

"That may also corroborate the theory that these humans were from Earth…"

"They'd have to survive in an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere. Then they could have developed most gases known to humans on Earth…" Tom mused.

"Thank you," said Chakotay. "That will be all. Dismissed."

Chakotay remained pensive as he watched the senior officers file quietly out of the briefing room. He wasn't so much tired as feeling overwrought. Kathryn was missing and it left him shattered. He could still feel her hand on his before he’d transported over to the stricken alien vessel, still hear her voice. Like an echo, her presence still dominated the air on the bridge. He needed to be in the privacy of his quarters. Everywhere else were Kathryn's imprints, her presence felt. He didn't want to go into the ready room - her ready room - because it reminded him too much of her. Closing his eyes, he saw her quirky smile, the humorous lift of the corner of her mouth. He saw the hands on her hips…so familiar his being ached from just remembering.

She was somewhere, hopefully on one of the worlds in the Almazin System. If she were a prisoner there, they'd have to use every ounce of ingenuity to rescue her.

Seven of Nine would monitor the movement of any interstellar anomaly from the Astrometrics lab. Already her insistence that they head directly for Injasuti was met with agreement that it would be logical to start their search there.

"Since, as Lieutenant Kiridis pointed out, the alien humans left their signature on the bulkheads of their vessel," she stated.

"Like old Earth graffiti," Tom noted archly.

"Do you think it was deliberate?" Torres had asked.

"I think so," Kiridis had replied. Because he had been the first to interpret the glyphs, Chakotay had ordered him to be present at the meeting of senior officers. "The random way in which the glyphs were scrawled suggests that some of the victims may have been trying to leave a sign, like an S.O.S., while they were dying…"

"S.O.S."

"Old Earth emergency coding, Commander. To inform any vessel that might come to their rescue. The message was clear enough to me. Most of which I could discern said, _'We are the Injasuti'_ …"

"Injasuti?"

"Yes. I think it means 'water'."

They didn't question Kiridis any further. The man had spent six years on Voyager studying ancient scripts, even learning ancient tongues. He thrived on what to them were obscure languages, better rendered meaningful through their universal translators.

"Translators are not failsafe…" he had replied with an imperious air.

 

When all the officers had filed out of the boardroom, Chakotay gave a sigh and looked at the empty room. A few seconds longer he paused, his palms on the table.

"We'll find you, Kathryn. Voyager is not going anywhere without you…"

 

 *****

 

Later that evening Chakotay entered his quarters, still burdened by Kathryn's disappearance. Reaction was setting in. Earlier, he had been disciplined, maintaining a cool and calm exterior. Now he kept seeing images of her, especially the last time they had been together on the bridge. It was strange, he realised, that intimacy with Kathryn was never the erotic imaginings of entwined bodies among satin sheets, but rather the turn of the head as she looked at him, the touch of her hand on his, her easy companionship with him. It was why he missed her so much, even now, hours after her disappearance. He could still feel her palm resting over his hand, the complete faith with which it lay there. He had become used to it, on the one hand; on the other hand, he was hungry for exactly those acts of faith on Kathryn's part as a sign that she needed his companionship.

He missed her.

He had to admit that he needed her.

She was gone; the urge to grieve brought on by a feeling of the passing of a loved one. It was presumptuous to feel that way, he realised, but Kathryn's sudden disappearance left a void in him. He was deathly afraid that he might never see her again.

He walked to his bedroom, his mind filled with the need to meditate, to communicate with his father. He had to do it. For the first time in a year, it compelled him as he reached for his medicine bundle. At first he held it in his hands, closing his eyes at the familiar feel of the animal skin. As if in prayer, he stood beside his bed, willing the spirits to calm him, to infuse him with peace.

Sitting down on the mat, he opened the medicine bundle. Once the chah-mooz-ee, the blackbird's wing and the akoonah had been laid out on the animal skin, Chakotay covered his face with his palms, taking a few deep breaths. What would he tell his father once the vision appeared? What would he tell the man whose ways he had once rejected?

Placing his fingers reverently on the akoonah, Chakotay began his quest…

"Akoocheemoya…I am far from the sacred places of my ancestors…"

 

 *****

 

"Lieutenant, I do not understand these glyphs," said Seven of Nine to Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis. Seven noted how flushed the lieutenant appeared as he gazed at the glyphs he had copied through an imager to the workstation Seven allowed him to use in Astrometrics.

"They may appear random, but I do not think so. I'm beginning to discern another pattern, Seven."

Seven of Nine turned her attention away from the main screen which showed the grids of ten sectors. They were in sector 9534, grid 022 and closing in on the Almazin System.

Lieutenant Kiridis was not a handsome man, she noted idly, if she used Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Paris as her frame of reference. They, in her opinion, were handsome men. Kiridis had a riot of curly pitch black hair framing his face, giving him an untidy appearance, as if he just got out of bed and didn't bother to brush or comb his hair. Even though his uniform always looked fresh, it didn't do much to enhance his appearance. Seven wondered whether Commander Chakotay had ever rebuked him for such untidiness. Perhaps they accepted that Lieutenant Kiridis kept out of everyone's way, was no bother to any person, performed his tasks to the best of his ability and then cooped himself up in his quarters for the rest of the time. His ears looked large, frumpled, as if they had been badly bitten in hand-combat or a game of contact sport by his opponent. Since neither of the two pastimes were things he indulged in, it was possible he was born with ears that looked like cauliflowers. He had grey eyes, in stark contrast to his dark hair and tanned skin. Seven had only recently heard from other females on board that he had no friends, no family at home waiting for him, except a distant cousin.

"I am Macedonian in origin," he had told her proudly earlier when she had asked about his last name. "My mother married a Greek…"

He really sounded very proud, and his words had awakened feelings of longing in her too, that she might know more of her own origins beyond her parents. If Kiridis could be so proud of his origins, who knew, she might trace hers to Valhalla…

"What do these glyphs say?" she started suddenly, forcing images of her parents away from her. Next moment, the glyphs Kiridis had copied were thrown on the big viewscreen.

Seven stared hard at the graphemes.

 "The vessel of the aliens was in the shape of an obelisk…" he began, his brows knitting together as he concentrated.

"And that means what, Lieutenant?"

"Simply that it may be an extension of their culture. If that is so, then the graphemes would appear to make sense."

"I…see," said Seven of Nine, staring hard at the bold characters on the screen. She wasn't certain of anything, the characters appearing unintelligible to her. "But," she amended, "it is of obvious relevance."

"The glyph in the lower left corner, without the straight line cutting the cross would be the equivalent of the Latin letter 't'. The line crossing from top to bottom, with only a short point at the juncture, indicates a sign for water…"

"Water?"

"More like a waterfall…"

"What could be the meaning of it?"

"A waterfall, Seven of Nine."

"Do not play with me, Lieutenant. You know what I mean."

"Okay. A waterfall plays a role - perhaps a significant role in their culture." Kiridis shook his head. "No, perhaps not. Not so much their culture but a ritual that is part of their culture…"

"Fine. I understand that. If one looks at the entire set of characters? One message, perhaps?" Seven asked.

"The first is a repeat of the message I could decipher on the Injasuti vessel: WE - ARE - THE - INJASUTI…. Then the rest of this message reads…OUR - CHILDREN -  MUST -  NOT - DIE…"

"Their concern was great enough that they fled," Seven remarked, pensively. "And I suppose that water played a role in their deaths?" she conjectured.

"I think so," Kiridis answered, his face a study of perplexed curiosity. "Their deaths could be caused by something else, at or near a place where there is water. Yes…yes…that could be part of the ritual…" The lieutenant paused as he flicked to another set of characters. "A call for help…" he said softly, frowning heavily.

"Then do you presume that those unfortunate humans were killed because of something they might not have wanted to be a part of?"

"Yes. I would presume that. We must convey this to Commander Chakotay. I am becoming more and more convinced that Captain Janeway's life is in danger."

"On what basis do you make that claim, Lieutenant Kiridis? She is not a child…"

"No…no…that is not the captain's role. I am more convinced now that the captain is indeed alive, but for a certain purpose only…"

"A certain purpose? Have you deciphered something of grave importance?"

"I'm - I'm not sure. This - this set of graphemes…"  Kiridis pointed to a set of characters, five in all:

 "What does it mean?" Seven asked.

"It's a name… " Kiridis whispered. "Khaira…"

"It has a beautiful sound," said Seven. "It sounds like - "

"Seven, I believe Khaira is a form of the name _Kathryn_."

Seven's eyes widened. "The name sounds revered, as if there was purpose in targeting the captain. We must reach Injasuti…"

"Yes, before we lose Captain Janeway forever."

 

 *****

 

Chakotay moved the heavy fronds aside and entered a clearing. In the middle was a large tree stump. Around him it was quiet, save for the sound of a bird calling. He loved the peace and quiet of this setting. He waited at the edge until he heard the sound of leaves rustling. His heartbeat quickened as a figure appeared.

Chakotay smiled.

Kolopak as he had looked when Chakotay had last seen him alive. The dimples which deepened when he laughed, were on Kolopak long, deeper furrows that gave his father a perpetual smile. His wide-brimmed hat shielded eyes that had creased to narrow slits from constant work in the dry heat of Dorvan. Once again he was honoured to see his father.

"Greetings, son. I sense you are troubled."

Kolopak sat down on the tree stump and picked up a piece of wood. Taking his pocket knife, he began shaving the wood. Thin flat little wisps drifted to the ground.

"I am troubled, Father," Chakotay said softly, taking one step forward so that he stood bathed in sunlight.

Kolopak looked up.

"Cha-ko-tay," he began, "the last time you came here, it was to tell me about your captain…"

"Yes."

"She touches you here…" Kolopak said, stopping his shaving to press the hand holding the pocket-knife against his heart.

"She is in every breath I take, Father."

"You fear that you will lose her."

A searing warmth spread across his chest. Kolopak never asked questions. He made statements which startled Chakotay most times because they stabbed right to the core of his plight.

"Kathryn has gone missing from our ship. One moment she was there and the next, she was gone…"

Kolopak began carving into the wood. Chakotay waited patiently for him to speak again.

"You have been betrayed by women before, Cha-ko-tay…"

"Kathryn has not betrayed me, Father."

"No." Kolopak stopped abruptly then rose to his feet. When he smiled, Chakotay thought that the older man mocked him. "No, Cha-ko-tay. Kathryn will never betray you. But she must be rescued for she knows not the depth of your heart."

"How then, is she to know of my heart?"

There was a long silence in which father and son gazed at one another. It seemed to Chakotay that his father was mulling over an answer, one filled with mystery.

"Your loyalty will be tested to the very edge, son. Only then will Kathryn know your heart."

Chakotay closed his eyes for a brief second. When he opened them again, it was deathly quiet. Kolopak had left as silently as he had appeared in the clearing. As always, it left him feeling a little deflated. His father spoke in riddles leaving him to divine the mysteries of his wisdom.

The akoonah stopped its vibration. Slowly Chakotay became aware again of his surroundings. He blinked several times and breathed in deeply, then pondered on his father's enigmatic words.

He whispered the older man's last words, " _Only then will Kathryn know your heart_ …"

Chakotay sighed. The quest had left him quivering, almost unfulfilled. How would his loyalty be tested? How would Kathryn know his heart? He had always been loyal to Kathryn, all these years, even those times when she questioned that loyalty.

How would it be tested this time?

It was a dilemma which teased him.

Sighing, he prepared to return to the bridge. His father's words would niggle at him until he came face to face with Kathryn again.

 

**END CHAPTER THREE**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my online version I have captured graphemes of the Phoenician language which could not be duplicated here. Sorry about that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Place of the Weeping Water.

* * *

 Kathryn awoke, instantly attuned to a sense of displacement. She tried to remember when this displacement had started. She had been on the bridge of Voyager, speaking to Harry Kim. A memory began to swamp her, of Harry looking horror-struck at her. The next moment she’d felt queasy, floating, floating…

Then she knew no more.

There was a fragrance, of burning oils, perhaps, she thought with a frown. Roses and frangipani  tickled her nostrils. Slowly Kathryn looked around her. She was in a large airy room, on a queen sized bed, covered with the softest sheets she could imagine. They lay like a cloud that had gently descended on her. Next to the bed on a stand she saw the source of the floral fragrance - a three pronged oil burner, the prongs in the shape of what appeared to be priestesses holding aloft a glass bowl filled with crystals and oil.

"Where am I…?" she whispered softly to herself.

She tried to sit up, groaning slightly as her head began to spin. After a minute or so the dizziness abated. She noted an ornate double door, the entrance to the room, great arched windows, a French window that opened to…somewhere. There was a large rug on the tiled floor.

Touching her bosom, she realised her uniform was gone, although her commbadge was pinned to the silken night gown she was wearing. Tapping her badge, she began, "Janeway to Voyager…". The only response was a soft crackling sound. 'I'm either out of range or there's too much static,' she thought.

Giving a sigh, she moved to get up from the bed. Right at that moment the doors opened. In the doorway stood a young woman. Kathryn drew in her breath sharply. A human woman who had beautiful long hair, a silky black sheen to it. She wore a simple, long chiton with a cord tied at the waist. The woman appeared distraught as she scuttled swiftly towards Kathryn.

"Eminenza!" she cried out.

"Wha-what?"

"Your Highness!"

Kathryn realised the woman was speaking in a different tongue, which her commbadge, now serving as a universal translator, picked up and translated to English. Who had reconfigured her commbadge?

"H-Highness?"

"Please, you must not rise too soon!"

But Kathryn would have none of it as she swung her legs over the side and heaved herself off the high bed. With her hands against the mattress, she braced herself. For a second the dizziness overwhelmed her, but it eased as she remained quite still, her eyes closed. She felt the woman's hand supporting her back. When she looked up it was to stare into a pair of very concerned green eyes.

"Your Highness requires rest…" the woman said, her voice tinged with worry.

Kathryn gazed long at her, at the wonder of seeing a human female in this quadrant. It couldn't possibly be humans from the 37s. Voyager had left that region of the quadrant years ago.

"Are you - are you the Injasuti?" Kathryn asked quietly.

The young woman nodded, a smile transforming her concern to relief.

"We are the Injasuti, Your Highness. It means Place of the Weeping Water…"

Kathryn acknowledged the woman's explanation with a nod, wondering what the significance of 'Weeping Water' was.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Hanim, Your Highness. I am your handmaiden."

"Why am I here, Hanim? My people must be looking for me. What have you done with my uniform?"

Hanim smiled again as she led Kathryn to the window which opened to a private courtyard. Only when they were standing in the paved courtyard did Kathryn realise that they were on an upper level of the house overlooking what appeared to be a magnificent terraced garden. From the house the terraces stretched a distance of about two hundred metres, sloping towards a stream. Beyond the stream was a long valley banked by a range of mountains. Everything looked verdant, from the grass to the trees beyond the river on the slopes of the mountains.

Kathryn turned to look at Hanim, another jolt going through her at the strange beauty of this woman.

"Your uniform has been placed in safety, Your Highness - "

"Please…not 'Your Highness'. My name is Kathryn Janeway…"

"Yes, I know. You are Queen Khaira, our new Queen."

"What? Khaira…?" Then Kathryn realised that the universal translator probably made her name sound like Khaira. She began to wheeze, then slowed down her breathing until the wheezing eased off. Hanim looked worried again; she made soft, clicking sounds as if she were talking to a small child.

"Please, Eminenza, you must not upset yourself. I have sent for Ishtar to bring you food. You have not eaten since the Procurator brought you here."

Kathryn absorbed Hanim's words. Her Latin was very rusty, but she was certain Procurator meant a caretaker. The Caretaker that brought them into the Delta Quadrant had died. His mate Suspiria? It couldn't be her, but could another Nacene be responsible for bringing her here? The Nacene were sporocystian life forms that could traverse subspace. Why did Hanim refer to her as _eminenza_? Didn't that refer to a deity or priest of a high order? Why was she a _queen_? Queen Khaira? Why did they bring her here? Where was Voyager? She had last spoken with Chakotay while standing on the bridge of her vessel. The away team had been on an alien vessel investigating the deaths of sixty men, women and children. The questions milled about in her consciousness and she felt queasy again, the breathtaking vista before her slowly fading, its beauty holding no power against the dizziness that overcame her again. When she gave a light groan, Hanim was quick to guide her back to the bed. Kathryn moaned when her head hit the pillow; seconds later she fell into a deep sleep again.

  **

"She is very beautiful," said Livia Gaiden to Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius.

"She is our only hope. Long we have believed that a successor would come, for now we know that there is no hope for Queen Toreth. She is living the last moments of her life. She has served Injasuti well, but it was necessary to invoke the Procurator to match a successor…"

"It is hard to believe that Queen Toreth is in her dying moments. It is sad, Supreme Commander. She has a son who has lost a mother…"

"But we needed a female successor and you know Queen Toreth was the last of her line. All relatives are male, with no daughters to become Queen of Injasuti…"

"They are of the same blood, Supreme Commander? Queen Toreth and Queen Khaira?"

"As near as possible that the Procurator could match. Khaira was a star traveler, and like us, is a human."

"Perhaps she comes from our Ancient World? Our historical records show that a great ship brought our ancestors here. There is a map of antiquity in the Great Library of the First City, which shows where our Ancient City was situated."

"Livia, I am Afzhal Serinius. Do you not think I would know that?"

"I beg your indulgence, then, Supreme Commander. But do you not think that Queen Khaira could be from our Ancient World?"

"Who knows? Perhaps, Livia Gaiden. Perhaps. The most important thing is that Khaira is Toreth's natural successor and as such must succeed the throne. She is to be mated as soon as possible to produce a girl heir. Toreth took a mate of her own choosing, against the will of the Injasuti. Her son was removed from her as punishment. The boy's father has been killed in battle…as you well know."

"I know," replied Livia.

Livia did not want to remind the Supreme Commander that Queen Toreth's mate had been murdered. No queen before Toreth had had a mate, but rather several eunuchs to please her. It was the law, and Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius was a pragmatic stickler concerning Injasuti's laws governing their Queen, who was the Incarnate Goddess Tanith. He had served Injasuti for two generations. Although he was old, he had a strong and wiry body. Sometimes his piercing eyes filled her with fear. There were many who feared him.

Livia gazed at the doors, the entrance to the new queen's boudoir. She felt a certain apprehension. The eunuchs who serviced Queen Toreth had been told to prepare for the new Queen… Only upon the Queen's permission could the number of eunuchs be determined. Then Afzhal spoke, his voice stern.

"Her handmaiden Hanim Abbya has said that Queen Khaira is still ill from the Procurator's Transfer. I believe the distance was very great through which Khaira's body had to be transported," he informed Livia.

"Yes. It has made her ill these two days, Afzhal. I have instructed Hanim to oversee Queen Khaira's ablutions and meal. She must be very hungry."

"Well, Livia. Your task is clear. Prepare Queen Khaira for the Offering. We have procured a girl child. The mother is proud that her daughter is to be offered to venerate our Supreme Goddess Tanith. It is our only hope to avert a war with the Militia of the High Command."

"Do you know what has happened to the fleeing mothers and their children, Afzhal?" asked Livia, her question a little hesitant.

"Was not your cousin one of those cowards who fled?"

"I am most sorry, Afzhal. But yes, Laurana fled."

"I can tell you that their vessel was stopped. I can tell you they have been punished. That is all I will say."

Livia remained silent. Years ago she had been the honoured mother whose girl child Raeesa was sacrificed to the Goddess Tanith. She had been very young then and offered no resistance as she gave up her child. Now she felt differently. She visited the Tophet regularly to pray that her child's spirit lived with the gods and that she remained blessed for having been chosen. She still missed her little Raeesa who had resembled her father with her quick smile and laughing eyes.

She lived for her Queen, but understood that Laurana could not offer her only child, a pretty little girl named Talot. Laurana did not believe as she had once believed with great fervour that the Offering was necessary and the highest honour for an Injasuti girl child. They had escaped ten days ago. Only those connected with the High Council knew what had happened to their ship. She had prayed to Tanith, to Etbaal, to Eshmoun and all her deities that her cousin and the other women would be safe wherever they tried to settle. Her heart went out to them. If the gods willed that she, Livia Gaiden, become heavy with child again and blessed with a beautiful little baby girl, she would also flee Injasuti and settle safely far away.

But who would want her? She who prepared the old queen to conduct the Offerings and who would also guide the new queen into a life of submission to the gods and Afzhal Serinius? Beyond the boundaries of the Weeping Water were many who hated what happened here in the name of religion and supplication to the gods. They hated her as much as they hated Afzhal Serinius. Who would want her now?

The way Afzhal spoke made her realise that he knew a lot more about what had happened to the women who fled, and it was not good news. Not good news at all. Afzhal has been known to engineer the disappearance or deaths of dissidents.

But she was glad too that they had a new Queen now. Who knew, perhaps Queen Khaira would become powerful enough to change the order of things. Yes, they were heading for a war with their own people. The Queen was their only hope. Once she conducted the Ritual Offering, all would be well again with Injasuti. Or better still, perhaps it was possible that Queen Khaira would refuse to be party to the killing of babies and then the Injasuti High Command would commend her for such a brave stance against Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius. In her heart of hearts, Livia hoped for such a deliverance, for she was tired of seeing mothers weep with the falling of the waters and the sound of their wailing echoing for many days around the Place of the Weeping Water.

How would they breach the invisible wall erected by the Procurator? Her own knowledge was limited. She was not a scientist. Why, oh, why did she feel so uncertain of things now? Why?

Sighing, Livia turned towards the door leading to Queen Khaira's chamber.

 

 ***

 

Kathryn was lying in a half slumber when she heard voices outside the doors of her chamber. She felt better, but still quite seriously troubled over her appearance and purpose in the life of the Injasuti. She hoped; she had full faith in Chakotay and the crew to find her as soon as possible. She had been right in connecting the dead women, babies and four men to Injasuti, eleventh planet of the Almazin Binary Star System. Now she was here, and what little information she could glean from her handmaiden Hanim meant she was here as a successor to a Queen who had died or was dying. Not only that, she had been brought here by a Procurator. If her instinct was right, that meant it was a sporocystian life-form, the Nacene, who originated in another galaxy. They could transport anything through subspace, which was why she felt so ill and nauseous most of the time she had been awake after being shunted here. Her physical body had gone through enormous pressure and radical corporeal change during the transition. As the Caretaker did to Voyager, the Liberty and the Equinox, so had the Procurator done to her. If that were so, she was a minuscule element closer to knowing how, perhaps, humans were brought to this planet.

"I hope Voyager gets here soon…" she whispered to herself.

Thinking of rescue, of Voyager, brought back memories of her life on board her vessel, their hardships, their victories. In all of her trials, Chakotay had been right there beside her, loyal to the core. She knew that she could count on that loyalty to bring Voyager into Injasuti's orbit.

It brought memories of Chakotay. Now, even in these dire moments of knowing more or less the role she was to play here, just lying in bed, for the first time in so long, she could reflect on what Chakotay meant to her.

The world.

Just that thought brought tears to her eyes. All those little incidents came rushing back - those times his hand had been on her shoulder, or tentatively touching her cheek, those times his smile turned her legs to mush, the pain of punishing herself to curb those feelings… She thought of their last time together on Voyager. When she rested her palm over his hand, he had given her a look and there was so much expectation in that look, that her heart burned with the shame for not acting upon it.

Why was it suddenly now that they were separated with light years between them, that she missed him so? Not the first officer who cautioned, challenged, protected. Not the mentor who listened to her needless ranting of being stranded in this quadrant, who listened to her joys, the victory of the day when this crewman or that officer helped save the ship. Not the friend who allowed her to touch him at will and not expect any reciprocation because she didn't want to give any.

She missed Chakotay the man.

"Please, please, come soon, Chakotay…" she whispered.

 ****

 The voices became louder outside her door. She listened to their conversation. Now she knew that the unfortunate women had tried to escape with their children, to settle where they could be safe and not give up their babies. Now she knew that some higher order had seen to it that they were punished. And she knew that the male voice outside her chamber was the man responsible for that punishment.

Their punishment had been death.

Could their culture, their rigidity in applying their religious rites and rituals be at once so honourable and at the same time so unspeakable and merciless to those who did not want to be a part of it?

Kathryn recalled that Earth's history held a shameful record of intolerance so great that entire races had been wiped out - all in the name of power and superiority. Why would a world more than thirty thousand light-years away from Earth be any different? Was it only humans who claimed for themselves such a terrible record? Was it human nature to inflict needless pain and humiliation? Did she think that Injasuti, a planet on which humans had been settled, would be the benchmark of all the best elements in human nature?

Sighing, Kathryn waited for the doors to open. Another woman stepped into the room. Kathryn thought her to be in her thirties. Her skin was tanned, like Chakotay's, and her blonde hair parted in the middle and caught in a single braid. When she reached Kathryn, the woman knelt down in deference. Her head remained bowed. The braid trailed right past the woman's lower back, Kathryn noted. She touched the bowed head.

"Please," she told the woman. "You do not need to bow before me… Rise…"

When the woman stood up, Kathryn took a good look at her. She was tall, her eyes light brown. She looked sombre, wringing her hands nervously as she met Kathryn's gaze.

"I heard what you said about your cousin…"

"Your highness! It was not meant for you to hear! I humbly beg your forgiveness…"

"What is your name?"

"I am Livia Gaiden, senior housekeeper to the Queen."

"Livia…a Roman name," Kathryn said reflectively.

"It was handed down through hundreds of years, Your Highness."

She sounded proud of her heritage, Kathryn noted.

"Your people are humans…"

"If that means like you, then yes, we are humans," Livia answered softly.

"Livia…"

"Your Highness?"

"You sounded distressed about your cousin. If you do not say a word to anyone, I can tell you that my people found the vessel in which your women and cousin fled. I am so sorry… but they were no longer alive…"

Livia remained quiet a long time, then nodded solemnly. Kathryn thought that Livia was very strong not to burst into tears, although she looked very close to it.

"Hanim will see to your meal now, Your Highness," she said seconds later, a little more composed.  "Afterwards, you will be dressed in your royal garments and taken to the Place of the Weeping Water…"

"I wish to speak first to the First Ministers of this world."

Livia's eyes went wide with distress.

"Please…do not do that, Queen Khaira! We are at war with our own people! It is why we have made an entreaty to our Procurator to bring you to us, so that we may have a successor who will help us overthrow the enemy…"

"Your own brothers?"

"They do not wish us to continue our rituals, Queen Khaira. We pray to Eshmoun, Baal and Tanith that the tide will turn without resorting to weapons…"

"By killing babies? By bringing me here?"

"It is a most holy of holy communions, Your Highness. You will soon see what we mean by that."

"Livia, what I think is that you don't look very enthusiastic about killing babies. But you are still tied to a tradition and ritual that has been part of your culture for thousands of years. I cannot help but think you would like all of this to end…"

Kathryn let her words hover between them. She sensed the uncertainty, the struggle within this young woman.

"Please, I have to leave you now."

"Tell me, Livia, why my communicator cannot pick up my people's signals"

Livia paled.

"Afzhal Serinius reconfigured it, Your Highness."

"That still doesn't mean that my people can't transport me away from here. What is blocking the signals?"

A sigh escaped the young woman.

"I have said enough, Your Highness - "

"I must know!"

A long pause ensued. Then Livia gave another sigh.

"This area of Injasuti - it is the size of three great cities - is protected by the unseen wall."

"A force field."

"Yes."

"It cannot be breached?"

"Many have died trying to get in or out, Your Highness." Livia looked very unhappy now. "Please, I cannot tell you more…"

Kathryn nodded. A force field erected by whom? Voyager would certainly disable it, of that she was certain.

"Now, Livia Gaiden," Kathryn began in an imperious tone, "tell me what my role is as Queen Khaira."

"Your Highness! I may not speak!" Livia whispered as she bowed her head and wrung her hands together.

"I must know."

"Only Afzhal Serinius may tell you, Your Highness."

A soft knock made Livia turn towards the door. The handmaiden had made her appearance again, pausing in the open doorway waiting to be invited inside the room.

"Hanim is ready for your ablution and your meal," Livia said, then quietly made her exit.

 *

 "Where did this come from?" asked Kathryn later as a platter of food was placed on a small table in the courtyard. Her conversation with Livia earlier was nearly forgotten as she became immersed in the smell of the exotic meal. She was hungry; she hadn't eaten in two days, although she remembered vaguely being given water to drink.

"Olives from the groves in the palace compound and dates from Injasuti's great date palms, brought here by our ancestors."

"How long ago was that?" Kathryn asked as she picked up a succulent date and brought it to her mouth. She relished its sweet taste. She hadn't eaten dates in years, not even back on Earth before Voyager left for the Badlands.

"Five thousand years ago…"

"You have a binary star system, Hanim. How long for Injasuti to complete an orbit?"

"Two hundred and twenty days, Your Highness."

Kathryn worked it out. That meant that their ancestors arrived here about two and a half thousand years ago…Before the common era…

Kathryn concentrated on her meal, enjoying the food. There were small crusted loaves made from flour that could only have been produced from…wheat, she decided. Then the most succulent slivers of veal and lamb followed. It was a feast such as she hadn't had even on Earth. Was Injasuti a replica of Earth? Lamb meant there were sheep and their young grazing somewhere, and veal meant young cattle… Kathryn frowned heavily for a second, then decided that her question would be answered during the course of the day. It was morning still, the suns just on the horizon, glowing red in the distance. Down below, she could see men and women working in the gardens and she received a jolt when she was reminded they were humans, like her.

"This food is delicious, Hanim…"

"I know, Mistress. My own husband prepared it in the kitchen of the palace…"

"Your husband? What is his name?"

"Lucius Metellus."

This time Kathryn managed to suppress her surprise. A young woman called Hanim, an Arabic name, married to a man with a Roman name and surname. It was getting, as Alice would say, curiouser and curiouser…

"Were some of your ancestors Romans?"

"There are frescos in the Great City that depict chariots, Roman soldiers wearing plumed helmets and breastplates. The chariots are pulled by fine horses. There is a heritage site where the original paintings can be seen in caves, before the cities were built." Hanim smiled shyly. "You will soon see the white horses of the Great Plains, Your Highness…"

Kathryn remained pensive after that. Injasuti appeared most favourable for shore leave, but the planet's political affairs made visiting precarious. She doubted whether she would see the frescos or the white horses of the Great Plains. Yet, Injasuti was a mix of Roman and other races forced into coexistence by whatever had brought them here. It made her deeply curious to see more of this world that was home to humans, more than thirty thousand light years from Earth.

She certainly hoped that whatever her role was here, it be played out with dignity at least. When Voyager arrived… Giving a great sigh, Kathryn realised that it would take Voyager two days to reach Injasuti. She'd soon hear from them, she knew. Knowing that her people would be in orbit within hours gave her the freedom to continue her interrogation.

"Were the Romans the only people who were brought to this world?" she asked.

"We are from the Ancient World - "

"Earth."

"If that is what it is called, then yes, Your Highness. We have legends about a great ship that brought our people here. They were fleeing from the Romans…"

"Indeed?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Then all of them were transported to the great ship and brought here."

Who would flee from the Romans? Most everyone had except the tribes that filtered into Western Europe from the near east. Rome was responsible for the total annihilation of Carthage and its peoples, or  so history taught them. Kathryn smiled to herself. The timing put their resettlement here at around the time of the final destruction of the city of Carthage, one hundred and forty six years before the common era.

Now it was obvious to her that not all Carthaginians had been killed. Some had escaped, helped by an unknown benefactor. With historical names like Hanim, Afzhal and Ishtar…

"Tell me, Hanim, is your Queen who is ill, a descendant of Queen Jezebel?"

A light seemed to go on in Hanim's eyes and she gave Kathryn a broad smile.

"Why, yes, Your Highness!"

Then they were Carthaginians…

  **

 "Mistress, it is time for your royal dress. You are to be taken to the Place of the Weeping Water," Hanim said later when she saw Kathryn had finished eating, leaving only a few crumbs on her platter. The Queen had not eaten in more than two days and had only been given water to sip.

Not wanting to object, Kathryn, felt for the commbadge, realising belatedly that it had been rendered inactive and programmed with Injasuti's frequencies.

Hopefully, came her desperate and silent plea, Harry Kim and Seven of Nine would be able to hack into the frequency and disable the force field. Hopefully Chakotay would come charging to her on one of the white horses of the Great Plains of Injasuti… Hopefully. Her silent thoughts were contrary to her earlier conviction that Chakotay would reach her through his loyalty to her alone.

"I hope that time comes very soon," she muttered under her breath as the young Ishtar cleared away the plates and vanished barefoot into the depths of the Palace.

"Eminenza?"

"I am looking forward to visiting the Place of the Weeping Water," Kathryn lied, then realised that her inborn curiosity was getting the better of her. She wondered about this place, as she wondered about the Supreme Commander and Livia and talks of eunuchs that had to service the Queen…

 *

END CHAPTER FOUR

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE 

 

"Paris to Chakotay…"

Chakotay woke sluggishly from a deep slumber as Paris's voice penetrated his tired brain. He hit his commbadge.

"Chakotay here."

"In an hour we'll be in orbit around Injasuti, Commander."

"Thank you, Paris. Give me ten minutes."

He rose stiffly from the awkward position he had been lying in after collapsing on his bed. He hadn't  slept in forty eight hours and had been exhausted beyond anything by the time the doctor finally forced him to rest. Now he had a crick in his neck. Rubbing it and rolling his head brought a little relief. His uniform was creased. A very quick sonic shower and a fresh uniform later, he felt much better. It was two days since Kathryn had vanished from the bridge, two days in which he had been fraught with worry and constant restlessness. He hadn't slept for thinking of Kathryn somewhere, alone, perhaps hoping that Voyager would reach her and rescue her.

Once again he was thrown into the role of rescuer. How many times had he done that in the past? He would never have left Quarra without her…never. Once before, when Kathryn had cast all Federation rules aside and hunted down Ransom, in the process almost killing Lessing too, he had saved her from herself. Kathryn had been on a downward spiral into depression and had clung to him for support; she'd looked to him to save her.

Now, this.

For the first time, he was forced to admit how much he really needed her, how he couldn't breathe without her. Her absence left a deep, aching void inside him. He had taken so much for granted. Always, when sitting on the bridge, she'd be there beside him. A ship as small as Voyager, with still years to travel before they reached home, made avoiding one another impossible, not that he ever wanted to avoid Kathryn. Yes, he had become accustomed to her always being within his perimeter, and if she sometimes, just sometimes, encroached on his space, invaded his bubble, he had welcomed that intrusion. Those were the times he thought she needed him too. Now she was gone. It had taken him by surprise, that he could feel this rudderless without her by his side. For the first time he was left without an anchor, without someone on whom he too, could depend for support. For the first time, her sudden disappearance brought to the fore the real possibility that they might never find her.

He made a decision.

He would not leave the sector until he located her.

"I'll find you, Kathryn, even if I have to turn this sector inside out…" he muttered to himself.

Ten minutes later, he entered the bridge. Tuvok rose to his feet and nodded. Chakotay sat down in Kathryn's chair. There was no time now to feel as he always did, that he was usurping Kathryn's place or position. In less than an hour, they would be in orbit of Injasuti.

"Commander," began Tuvok, "I've detected a signal. Source is the northern hemisphere of the planet."

"We're being hailed, Commander," Harry Kim said.

"On screen."

The faces of two humans appeared on the main viewscreen. For a moment, Chakotay felt a punch to the gut. Were they ever going to get used to seeing other humans in the Delta Quadrant? Humans living for more than a thousand years on the planet Injasuti? Early on in their journey, they had met the 37s. He would never forget the feeling of pride when they entered the cargo bay and found it empty after Kathryn had told the crew that those who wished to remain on the planet should be there. Kathryn had been a little despondent at the time and their loyalty to her, to Voyager, to their collective task of getting home had been the tonic she had needed then to carry on. Their friendship too, had deepened since then.

Now they saw two men on the viewscreen. Their faces appeared strong, full of character. They wore red shirts under gold breastplates with gold epaulettes. Chakotay blinked. The military garb looked familiar to him. The two soldiers looked at Voyager's officers as if they were seeing ghosts, reflections of themselves. Tuvok was the only Vulcan.

'The feeling's mutual,' Chakotay thought to himself. Injasuti soldiers looking at humans from another world…Voyager's humans looking at Injasuti as if they knew them from a time long ago.

"If I didn't know better, I'd mistake them for Roman centurions," Tom Paris whispered. Chakotay had to concur. If not centurions, then higher ranks such as tribunes, or generals.

"Maybe they are?" ventured Harry.

"Harry, audio." Harry jumped, startled by Chakotay's curt command. There was not much time for silent conjecture.

Chakotay stepped forward, stopping just behind Tom Paris.

"Greetings," said the officer on the right. "I am Proconsul Saladin Peroni. My commander is Consul Gaius Balthazar Barca."

Chakotay blinked. _Gaius_? Recovering instantly from his surprise, he stood, hands rigidly at his sides.

"Greetings. My name is Commander Chakotay, acting captain of the Federation starship USS Voyager."

"Commander Chakotay of the starship Voyager," repeated Balthazar Barca, his shock of blonde hair cropped short like Chakotay's. "We have never encountered beings like ourselves from other worlds before."

"He looks shocked, Chakotay," whispered Paris again.

"Quite pale too," murmured Harry. "I wonder he didn't say _'ave_ '."

"We are from a planet called Earth. We must travel thirty five years of our time to reach our home. Yes, we are called humans, although we have crew who are from other worlds serving on this vessel."

"Then it would be good that we meet, to explore our histories. But we must ask: what brings you to Injasuti?"

"Our immediate business is our commanding officer, Captain Kathryn Janeway. She vanished from the bridge of our ship through what we suspect is a sporocystian lifeform, or some other source. We believe she may be traced here, on Injasuti - "

"Captain Kathryn Janeway?"

Chakotay watched the exchange between the two consuls. Hope rushed through him. They knew something!

Tom Paris turned to look at him and mouthed, "They know, Commander…"

Chakotay gave him an imperceptible nod.

"Yes. Do you know if such a person has recently been transported to your world?"

"Commander Chakotay, it is of the utmost urgency then that we speak with you and officers of your vessel. A woman has indeed been transported here and we believe it to be by the Procurator, a being not of this galaxy. By your description, a sporocystian lifeform. The Procurator is invoked by an Injasuti sect to bring lifeforms here. We believe the latest transportee must be your Captain. We must warn you, however, Commander Chakotay, that she is not under our jurisdiction. The Injasuti Sect is rooted in religious fanaticism and therefore your task to get her back will be most difficult…"

"We have been through similar and worse situations," Chakotay responded. "We will get her, Consul Balthazar Barca." Chakotay felt he had at least the support of Injasuti High Command in searching and locating Kathryn. "There is another serious, and perhaps related, issue we wish to report to you."

"What can that be, Commander?"

Chakotay took a deep breath. His hope soared that Kathryn was on Injasuti. They would rescue her. Now that they knew she was here, it gave him a sense of security that they need not look any further than Injasuti for her. Their instincts to start with the Almazin System had been correct.

"Consul," he started, "we have on our ship the bodies of twenty eight females, their babies and four males. These persons all died on a vessel that had sent out a distress signal two days ago. We arrived too late to save them. We believe they may have been murdered…"

Again the two consuls exchanged glances, and this time Paris didn't bother to whisper a retort.

"By a person or persons from this world. Bloody killers…"

"We knew that a vessel had left Injasuti," admitted Saladin Peroni. "They had our permission to resettle in another sector. We are indeed very sorry to hear that they have been killed. They were killed by the Injasuti?

"Injasuti? Are you not the Injasuti?"

"That we are. But the great Injasuti Sect exists in an area they call Place of the Weeping Water. Commander, if they were murdered by their own sect, then they fled because they did not agree with the Offering. It is too long to explain. When you are in our orbit, we wish that you will meet with us to discuss this serious infraction by the Injasuti and at the same time see that you get your captain back."

"Thank you, Balthazar Barca. We will prepare a team to meet with you…"

Then the screen went blank. The senior officers breathed a sigh of relief.

"Captain Janeway is here, on this planet, Commander," exclaimed Harry, his mood much lighter after he’d felt guilt at losing her.

"But it might still be difficult to retrieve her," answered Tuvok.

"The Captain is not a dog, Tuvok," Paris bit out, "or a piece of lost property. Why is the word 'rescue' so difficult to use?"

"Well then, Mr Paris, it will still be difficult to… _rescue_ Captain Janeway. It appears as though the two factions are themselves worlds apart."

"In any case, it seems even the High Council is unable to deal with what goes on inside the Place of the Weeping Water…" Harry clamped his lips together, giving them a speculative glance. "Well?"

"I would concur. The sect must be well-protected."

"By the _Procurator_ , no less," Paris muttered.

"Who happens to be in another galaxy far - "

"Enough! Meeting in half an hour," Chakotay barked before he left the bridge and headed for the privacy of his quarters. He needed to seclude himself for a few minutes before addressing the senior officers.

 *

The meeting was over. Chakotay felt the excitement bubbling through him. The senior crew accorded him the same respect and regard for his leadership that they always accorded Kathryn. He had been apprehensive, thinking that his anger, which had simmered the last two days just under the surface, would get the better of him. They had been good about accepting his apology, and consensus had been reached about the various tasks assigned to individual officers. He was proud of them, proud that they could conduct themselves in this crisis with the discipline and decorum that was the hallmark of Starfleet.

Chakotay, B'Elanna Torres, Chell, Neelix and Marcus Kiridis formed the away team that gathered in the transporter room.

"Kiridis, it's your job to research the planet's history. Find clues to the Captain's whereabouts. There must be something in their libraries. Lieutenant Torres will accompany you," Chakotay told a still befuddled Kiridis who couldn't quite come to grips with the fact that he had to beam down to a planet and spend time there. Yet he was keyed up to meet the Injasuti, to determine their language or languages, to trace their history. During the meeting he had told Chakotay that he'd been researching the history of Carthage.

"Did you know, Commander," he began, "that a historian called Appian 1 of Alexandria was imprisoned because he wrote in his _Histories of the Punic Wars_ that a colossal disc in the shape and appearance of a giant Roman shield came and scooped up the fleeing Carthaginians as their city was being destroyed by the Romans?"

"Boy," Paris had said sardonically, "that must have been the longest sentence that has ever come out of your mouth."

"Their civilisation was too simple to absorb the existence of…flying saucers…" remarked Tuvok dryly.

"It's true! They called Appian a heretic!"

As always, Chakotay had to referee the heated exchanges, managing to calm them down.

Now he looked at Marcus Kiridis whose curly hair would probably always look unkempt and whose face was ruddy from the prospect of seeing his ancient cousins. Chakotay leaned over to his side.

"Speak Phoenician, do whatever you can to find out as much as you can…"

"Aye, Commander."

"Good. Neelix and Chell, find the food reserves and energy sources. There is dilithium. We could boost Voyager's reserves."

They nodded. Minutes later, they beamed down to a piazza. They were to meet with officials of the High Command, with the away team breaking up into smaller groups to maximise the search for Kathryn. Chakotay couldn't help but smile when he saw the tall obelisk in the middle of the square, adorned with bas relief. He had joked with Kathryn about the first city having an obelisk and that he'd tie Kiridis to one just to keep him on the planet. Kiridis moved instinctively towards the column, then retreated when Chakotay shook his head. There would be time for studying columns and needles later.  

They were met by several officials. The away team split up as designated and each group was assigned two officials. No soldiers were dressed like centurions this time, but more like senators in long robes fixed at the waist by ornate cords.

 *

 

A middle aged man remained as Chakotay watched the others leave. Then he turned to the official.

 _He could have been a member of my family…_ The man's features were tanned, with light brown eyes and blonde hair. He wore gold - or the precious metal of the planet that resembled gold - sleepers in his ears. His wrist was adorned with a broad bracelet with intricate patterns on it. Like the gentlemen who accompanied the other members of the away team, this man was dressed like a Roman senator of old. When the man smiled, Chakotay expelled a relieved sigh.

"Commander Chakotay, I am Hamilcar Bakchan. I will escort you to the Senate Building." 

"Thank you."

They crossed the piazza. By the end of it, Chakotay was surprised to see a landing pad for shuttles. When they reached the first shuttle, a young pilot who stood outside and who seemed to be waiting for them, struck his chest with his closed fist, then stretched out the arm, palm down, in what was a Roman salute.

"Ave, Senator Bakchan."

"Plotius, this is Commander Chakotay of the starship Voyager."

Chakotay was struck by the young man's appearance. But for the black trousers and high boots, he might well have been a centurion. The man had a shock of black hair; his grey eyes formed a startling contrast. A handsome young man, Chakotay thought.

"Greetings, Plotius."

The young soldier nodded and clicked his heels. Chakotay's brow lifted in surprise. If he’d ever wondered about daily life in ancient Rome or military protocols of that period, it was playing out to precision before his eyes.

They entered the shuttle and once they were ready, it lifted off. It seemed like only minutes after he felt the familiar feeling of his stomach sinking when the shuttle touched down in front of an imposing building with tall columns that framed the front. Chakotay blinked. Were they in ancient Rome? Injasuti possessed advanced technology, but it was a technology that existed in harmony with its ancient cultures.

There were people milling about, some standing in front of large frescoes, others wringing their hands at nooks spaced at intervals in the walls of buildings.

Once they were outside and walking towards the steps that led to the entrance, Hamilcar stopped and pointed to a man in front of one of the nooks. The man had his hands cupped, then closed his palms in what was a gesture of supplication.

"They are prayer nooks, Commander. These nooks are all over the city. Citizens may use them whenever they wish, even during the dark hours.."

Chakotay nodded. The impatience was building up inside him. He wanted answers and didn't want to pause to look at interesting sites and sights. There would be time for that. All he desired now was to see the First Minister or Emperor. Hamilcar must have noticed his impatience for he stopped his conversation and marched briskly into the building. His leather sandals made hardly a sound on the stone floor.

Finally, they stood outside a great double door which slid open as if on cue.

Hamilcar Bakchan looked at him, then inclined his head, pointing to the front of the room.

 "Commander Chakotay, you may enter. Our Emperor has been expecting you." Bakchan bowed, touched his forehead and then moved off silently.

Chakotay took a deep breath and entered through the door. He found himself in a great hall with very high ceilings. On the ceilings too were paintings. There were frescoes on the wall panels. Chakotay recognised chariots driven by soldiers, women carrying urns, figures of what he thought were their deities. From Kiridis's projections, the Injasuti had settled here more than two and half thousand years ago, and the frescoes depicted images from their early history.

    Then he pulled his gaze away from the paintings and stared straight ahead where he saw someone sitting on a chair. As he drew close, he saw that it was an old man, so old that Chakotay couldn't help but gasp softly. The old man wore a white tunic with rich maroon bands running the length of each shoulder to the ankles. A magnificent maroon toga was edged with ornate brocade, one end of it caught in the crook of his arm.

Creases lined the old man's face. Against his white, almost translucent skin, his lips showed blue, as if he had been standing outside in the cold. Tiny capillaries lay so close to the skin they snaked like miniature rivers across his arms and neck. His dark hair was long, and brushed back so that not a strand was out of place. Black eyes like two shiny beads stared at him.

Was this the emperor?

"Commander Chakotay," the old man began, and with a bony hand pointed to the chair opposite him, "please, sit down…"

When Chakotay had seated himself, he waited for the old man to speak again. Somehow it felt sacrilege to speak without being expressly invited to do so. The emperor's voice, a light baritone which he had not expected from such a thin, wiry frame, sounded thready.

"We have not expected to see people who resemble us in every way on our world, Chakotay. What do you say to that?"

"We are travelers who were stranded in this part of the galaxy, brought here by a sporocystian lifeform. We are returning to our homeworld."

"You are far from home?"

"Yes, Emperor - "

"Scipio."

"Scipio?"

"Named after a forebear from our Ancient World. Is our Ancient World this homeworld of yours?"

"Yes, Emperor Scipio. But I must…"

Chakotay stopped when the old man's hand went up.

"I know about Captain Kathryn Janeway."

Chakotay closed his eyes a second then returned the emperor's glare.

"We cannot leave this world without her, Emperor."

"Who needs this woman more?" asked Emperor Scipio. The question was fired at him, like an arrow shot from a bow. The old man's arms rested on the side bars of his chair and his chin lifted as if he dared Chakotay to challenge him.

Surely, Chakotay thought, they couldn't want to keep Kathryn a prisoner here?

"Captain Janeway is our leader, the one who commands our vessel and whose task it is to guide us all home."

"Surely Commander Chakotay, you can perform those same tasks?"

Chakotay grimaced inwardly. Of course he could lead Voyager home. Tuvok could lead Voyager home. What did the old man mean or want?

"Yes, that I can do. But Voyager, our vessel, is under the designated command of Captain Janeway. I am her First Officer."

"Again, Chakotay, why do you need her?"

Chakotay sighed deeply.

"Because we need her. She is a member of the family of Voyager, the one who sits at the head of our table."

"And the crew of Voyager loves this…Captain Janeway?"

"Yes."

"And Commander Chakotay?"

"What about me?"

The emperor pointed a bony finger at him, his eyes narrowed, the blue lips thinned even further.

"Did not your father tell you that your loyalty will be tested to the very core of the man you are?"

"My father? How - ?

"Do not question me how I know. I know. Now, what about Chakotay? Does he need Captain Janeway?"

"My needs are irrelevant; they drown in the face of my ship's needs…"

"Do you not think, Commander Chakotay, that if Captain Janeway knew of your needs, that the factors in that equation would change?"

Again, Chakotay remained numbingly silent, shocked by the emperor's prophetic and profound words. How many times had he wished that Kathryn would know of his needs? How many times had he lain awake at night, thinking about her, about a moment when she would pause and reflect and then instil herself with the knowledge that he needed her? How many times? As many as there were days in a year?

"She…does not know…" he said, the words wrung from him, the admission as painful as the knowledge itself.

"Chakotay, disable your translator. When you have done so I will speak."

Frowning, Chakotay disabled his commbadge then he nodded to the emperor. The old man opened his mouth to speak.

_"Siete necessari come l'aria che stessa respiro…"_

It sounded Italian, beautiful and melodious, uncorrupted by the commbadge noise. Chakotay frowned a second, then realised that it must be a derivative of Latin. He shook his head. He had no idea what the meaning of the words was. When the emperor indicated that he reactivate his translator and repeated his words, Chakotay understood them as, " _You are as necessary as the very air that I breathe…"_

He remained quiet, his heart thudding, a thrumming sound in his ears. When did the realisation dawn that he could no more live without Kathryn than banish the lungs from his body? Was it just after they returned to Voyager from their idyll on New Earth? He had searched and searched the database for a poem that would more or less speak such words as Emperor Scipio mentioned. He had found it and had copied the poem on papyrus, stored with the utmost care in a drawer in his cabin. _I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed & that necessary._ 

When he could breathe evenly again, he looked up, his eyes warm and moist. The emperor sat back and studied Chakotay, his finger under the chin.

"Only when that need within you is imparted to Captain Janeway, will she be freed from her bonds, Commander Chakotay, from those who hold her as their Queen."

"Queen? I…"

"Captain Janeway is to be inducted tomorrow as Queen Khaira, of the Injasuti. They have been searching for a match and a match has been found. Was not your vessel scanned?"

Chakotay remembered that Voyager had been scanned not long before they received the distress call from the stricken derelict. He nodded.

"Queen Khaira? Was that why they took her?"

"Commander Chakotay, as Queen Khaira she will be the Incarnate of the Supreme Goddess Tanith."

"And what does that mean?"

"She will conduct the Offering."

"The Offering?"  The Chakotay remembered the dead women and babies. Did they flee from the Offering and were murdered as a result?

"A vessel left Injasuti's orbit ten days ago," began Emperor Scipio. "There were women and their babies and the husbands of four of the women. It is most unfortunate that we could not stop them from being killed by their own sect. I believe their bodies are on your vessel now. The senators will arrange for their transport to our burial sites and their families informed so that they can bury their loved ones."

"I understand."

"Now, Commander," the old man said as he rose stiffly from his chair and closed the short distance between them. He inclined his head towards Chakotay.

"The Offering is a ritual that has long been forbidden by the Injasuti High Command. However, this practice continues because their Procurator protects them and a dome-like force field surrounds the Place of the Weeping Water. We cannot reason with this lifeform, nor can we disbar the sect from continuing this heinous and barbaric ritual… All our attempts to enter their safe haven have failed. We are on the brink of war...when we will launch one final offensive to destroy the force field. I fear it will be impossible. "

"What happens during this Offering?"

"A girl child is taken from its mother and killed by the Queen as human sacrifice to the Goddess Tanith."

Chakotay turned ice-cold at the emperor's words. All those dead babies on that ship. Their mothers…things fell horrifyingly into place. And Kathryn…

"Captain Janeway will never agree to that. Never. Never!

"But Queen Khaira will, Chakotay."

"How can we stop this?"

"Queen Khaira must know of your love. That is all that will free her."

 

*** 

END CHAPTER FIVE

 


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

 

Kathryn studied herself in the mirror. She was in an adjacent room, sparsely furnished with only tall mirrors and alcoves containing veils, dresses, gowns, sandals and headgear. Her face had been 'painted', which was the only way she could describe how Hanim had done her make-up. Her cheeks were rouged, enhancing her cheekbones and forming a contrast with her clear, light skin. The mascara around her eyes was dark, like kohl. Hanim had used her fingers expertly to apply the kohl and then a fine brush to curl her eyelashes. Now Kathryn's eyes appeared extra blue-grey. "Red for your lips, _Eminenza_ …" Hanim had murmured almost absently as she began applying the lipstick.

After that Hanim had started on Kathryn's hair. It had been washed and dried earlier. Kathryn had been surprised at the drier which was handheld with no pushbuttons to switch it on or off - it simply whirred the moment Hanim took it in her hand and began to dry Kathryn's hair. Now her hair was brushed back from her forehead and an extra long wig pinned to the ponytail. Then Hanim had painstakingly braided white and gold ribbons in the long braids that fell down her back. Ornate gold combs pressed into her hair on each side gave her a very Roman regal appearance.

But it was the next step that made her gasp. From the alcove, Hanim had brought a headdress so beautiful that Kathryn couldn't stop gaping. Ornate, full of gemstones, the metal something that resembled gold. It shone, it breathed royalty; this diadem was placed with the utmost care on Kathryn's head. It was surprisingly light and fitted perfectly, blending with her hairstyle so that her hair and crown appeared like one single unit.

Her gold toga was draped over a light blue chiton and at the waist a long, braided cord was knotted with the ends hanging down her side.

"I look like a Queen," she had said in hushed tones.

"Eminenza, you _are_ a queen," Hanim had responded cheerily.

"I can tell you that I feel like one in this get-up. I've never looked like this, not even in fancy dress."

"Fancy dress? I do not understand, Eminenza."

Kathryn looked at the perplexed Hanim. "When you dress up as someone else, like a famous person, or characters from a drama, in the same clothes as that person… Well, it's play-acting…"

"Eminenza, but you are not an act! This is not a play!"

She had given the young woman an amused smile.

"I know, Hanim. I am Queen Khaira."

"That's right!"

Kathryn was beginning to like this unaffected young woman.

"What is my function, Hanim, other than just being Queen Khaira?" Kathryn asked suddenly. It was curious that no one had told her anything yet about further duties.

Hanim's hands stilled, her smile vanished.

"I am your handmaiden only, Your Highness. It is for the Enlightened Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius to announce your duty…"

Kathryn gave a light sigh. She wasn't going to get anything out of Hanim and at the back of her mind was still the horrible way in which women and their babies died. Did her task have anything to do with such a rite?

Hanim had taken a deep bow, saying that her escorts would arrive to show her the Place of the Weeping Water. Left alone in the room, Kathryn began pacing. A knock on the door made her jump.

"Enter…"

Framed in the doorway was a well-built, broad-shouldered young man with only a cloth draped around his waist. His hair was very straight and pitch black, the bangs cut evenly. He held two leashes in his right hand to which were tied two of the most magnificent looking dogs Kathryn had ever seen. Their coats were sleek, grey-brown and their ears pointed sharply. Like the dogs of Ahmuhnrah of Egypt… The young man yanked the leashes and the panting dogs instantly went down on their haunches as if they bowed to her.

"Your Highness," said the young man who looked like a junior pharaoh, "I am Kephtah. I am to show you this world."

On foot? Kathryn wondered as he waited for her to follow him.

She nodded. The moment she stepped outside her room, there were two more escorts, a male and female who looked alike and were dressed like Hanim and Livia, though their tunics were of a coarser fibre.

"Come, Highness…"

"Wait…" Kathryn said as she thought of something. The three stopped in their tracks. The dogs became restless, their tails wagging. Kathryn smiled. They sensed they were going for a walk and to be rudely stopped was no good. Back home, her dog Molly did the same. There was a sudden flash of Mark holding Molly, an image that vanished instantly, to be replaced by the image of Chakotay who looked sad and dejected.

"Please," she said, "I wish to see Queen Toreth. I was told she is ill and will not recover."

Kephtah gaped, then closed his mouth again. Kathryn mentally blinked at the man's magnificent upper torso that glistened in the light from the sunbeams thrown on the terracotta paving. Did he rub oils on his body? she wondered. Did those pectorals bulge and move independently? When it seemed that Kephtah found his tongue again, he blustered, "But, Your Highness, I have been instructed - "

"Do not worry, Kephtah. I shall not report you."

Then Kathryn wondered whom she would report to if such an eventuality did arise. That scheming Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius? Kathryn watched how indecision warred with royal command on the young guard's face. It would be almost comical if the whole situation weren't so bizarre and mysterious. When it seemed that royal command won, Kephtah simply nodded to the man and woman who appeared friendly enough. Yet as she watched the exchange of looks between them, it seemed that he was telling them to keep quiet about what he was going to do. They smiled and bowed deeply to her.

"Follow me," said Kephtah imperiously.

She walked behind him, the dogs between them, and the couple behind her. Down the first stairway, through passages that confused her, down another stairway, then a long, narrow corridor. The dogs began to growl softly and Kathryn thought they must be near where Queen Toreth lay dying. At the end of the corridor they entered through a door which led to yet another set of steps. By the depths they descended, Kathryn deduced that they were either below ground level of the palace, or in the belly of one of the terraced floor levels. There were no windows here, yet she could feel a waft of air that circulated around them. Down this short flight of steps, they found themselves in a tiny square. Kathryn looked up, and although she knew there couldn't be an opening since they were underground, the ceiling was painted a dark blue, almost black, with tiny stars giving the impression of the sky at night. It was very impressive and very realistic. Kephtah walked a few steps, then stopped, the dogs becoming increasingly agitated. They were at the entrance of a closed door with a sign on it. A cartouche that looked completely strange yet also teasingly familiar.

*** 

Kathryn stood fascinated for a few seconds. In the centre of the cartouche was the symbol of a goddess, the goddess Tanith. She couldn't think what the other symbols were, but assumed that the two circles on each side of the triangle to be the binary suns of the Almazin system.

She was certain that Kephtah never once put his hand to the door to knock, yet the door opened silently, with a woman draped from head to knees in a black shawl peeping suspiciously at them.

"We come to see Toreth," said Kephtah peremptorily.

At that moment, Kathryn moved from behind Kepthah, and the woman saw her. Instantly she opened the door wider and then proceeded to bow deeply without saying a single word. When Kathryn touched her shoulder, the woman looked up. Kathryn gestured with her other hand; slowly the woman rose again to her feet. There was a look of deferential fear in the old woman's eyes. For a moment Kathryn thought the woman would bow to her again.

She also noticed that the couple remained outside the door. The dogs though, scurried inside the darkened room. Once again, there were no windows here, but air circulated in the room. A light source from somewhere in the room made it possible for her to see where the dogs had gone to lie down. Kephtah motioned to her to move forward. He took hold of the old woman's hand.

"We shall wait outside. Please, Highness, we do not have long…"

"I thank you," Kathryn whispered. She waited for the door to close before she moved to the bed.

Kathryn tried not to appear shocked at Toreth's appearance. Even though the woman looked emaciated, she was still young. Probably no more than thirty in Earth years. One hand lay atop the thin sheet that covered her body. Tiny blue veins were visible on the back of her hand and forearm. She lay completely still, though Kathryn could see by the imperceptible rise and fall of her bosom that she was still breathing.

Before Kathryn could call her name softly, Toreth opened her eyes. There was no surprise in her look. It was a gaze that held recognition, although obviously Kathryn had never seen her before, nor had Toreth seen Kathryn. Could the dying woman know that Kathryn had been brought here as a genetic descendant? It was the one conclusion she could come to when she pondered on why she had been whisked from her ship here. She remembered hearing Livia speak of a match for the Queen. Kathryn smiled at the sick woman.

"Hello… My name is Kathryn."

"You are Khaira," Toreth breathed through thin lips.

"Yes. Yes, I am Khaira."

"The new Queen."

"I am to be inducted today," Kathryn said. The dogs, now quiet, began to sidle against her legs. It was not threatening; instead, it seemed they were transferring their loyalty to her. Kathryn patted their heads in turn and they made sounds of contentment.

Toreth's hand seemed to come to life suddenly as she grabbed Kathryn's arm and tried to raise herself. She slumped against the pillow.

"I…am…dying…"

Kathryn nodded, not knowing what to say.

"If you take the throne you cannot look back. You will be forever bound by the Laws of the Injasuti. Please, do - not - take - the - vow…"

Kathryn frowned heavily.

"The Vow?"

"To be obedient to the Law."

"Do not worry, Toreth. By tomorrow I shall be back with my people."

_I sincerely hope so…_

Kathryn's words seemed to appease Toreth, whose face had become more animated. Toreth had golden brown hair like her own and blue eyes. Kathryn shook her head to dispel the image of a likeness between them.

"Khaira…"

"Yes?"

"I have a little boy. My husband - "

"You were married? I understood the Queen could not marry. There - there are eunuchs…" Kathryn let her voice trail, almost embarrassed to mention the eunuchs.

"A queen is only mated to produce a girl child. After that she must lie with eunuchs. I was mated. I miscarried… There was time enough, Afzhal said, for another child to be born. Then… I fell in love…a tribune of the High Command. He - we met after…" Toreth paused, as if she actually counted her words. A wan, deathly smile formed on her mouth. "We married in secret, you must understand, Khaira. It was against the Law. The Emperor married us. Arun Adamian - my husband - we made a beautiful child together. Aidan was taken from me when he was born…"

A tear rolled from the dying woman's cheek.

"How old is your little boy?" Kathryn asked.

"Five years old…"

_Three Earth years. Still a baby…_

"Do you know where Aidan is now?"

"Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius took Aidan away. A woman takes care of him. She lives in the First City…"

"I will find him for you, Toreth. I will - "

"It will be too late for me, Khaira. All this time I have never forgotten my son. He lies in my heart. Please, please let him know that I loved him with all my being. All my being…"

"I promise, Toreth."

For a few minutes Toreth lay breathing heavily, rasping gasps forced from her lungs. She began to speak again.

"Beware of Afzhal Serinius. He poisoned me… I am certain of that. He will do anything to keep you imprisoned in the palace. He is a fanatic. After - after my husband was murdered by Afzhal's hand, I had no choice. I am not in favour of the Offering. But I had no choice, Khaira. I had no choice. He brought me eunuchs to pleasure me after my son was taken  away.

Kathryn remembered overhearing Afzhal and Livia speak about the eunuchs servicing the queen. If she went to bed tonight, they would be introduced to her. She shuddered at the thought, praying fervently for a moment that Voyager was near, that Chakotay would do everything in his power to prevent anything from happening to her. Eunuchs…they were anachronisms. How old was this civilization?

"Beware - " the dying woman whispered again.

Toreth was weakening. The hand that had clamped convulsively around her arm suddenly slackened and dropped on the sheet, lifeless. Kathryn gasped.

"Toreth, please, tell me about the Offering…"  Kathryn's voice held an urgency that made her heart race. "Please…"

"Beware…beware…"

A silence fell in the room. Toreth's eyes closed gently, as if she had fallen asleep. But the heaving bosom had stopped.

Toreth was dead.

When Kathryn looked up, distraught, Kephtah was standing next to her. The dogs had gone quiet; they sat regally at her feet, waiting for her to move.

"There is nothing we can do but mourn for our late Queen Toreth," said Kephtah, his voice tinged with reverence and regret. The old woman began to wail softly as she prostrated herself over the still figure of her mistress.

When Kephtah touched Kathryn's shoulder, the dogs growled softly. "We must leave, Your Highness," he said.

Kathryn nodded mutely, wondering at the dead woman's warning to her. At the door, she turned and took one last glance. An old handmaiden dressed in black shawls, lying over the body of her mistress, was an image Kathryn knew would remain with her for a long time.

Now they moved silently, swiftly through the corridors of the palace going up, up until finally they stood outside in the bright, blinding sunlight. The couple seemed to come to life suddenly. The man clicked his fingers and suddenly there appeared a small carriage, drawn by two magnificent white horses. Kathryn remembered Hanim telling her about the white horses of the Injasuti Plains.

When the man indicated that Kathryn should enter the carriage, she asked, "What is your name?"

He looked perplexed. She wondered whether her universal translator was scrambling the phonemes. The woman looked equally perplexed. It was Kephtah who explained, looking sheepish for not doing so earlier.

"They cannot speak, Your Highness, and are partially deaf. Their vocal chords were damaged at birth. They are brother and sister, born twins."

Kathryn thought how quickly their condition would be remedied had they been on Voyager…

"What are they called, Kephtah?" Kathryn asked as the woman got in to sit next to her.

"If you mean their station, Your Highness, then they are lower than your handmaiden in status, although they are not slaves. Their names are Abry and Shabgah."

Kathryn looked at Shabgah and touched her hand. "Shabgah…" Only then did the woman smile. It pleased Kathryn and when she gave the signal to move, the horses pulled forward with a jerk. Kephtah and Abry sat in front on a box with the dogs squeezed in the small cabin of the carriage. Kathryn stroked the dogs. Since no one had told her the dogs' names, she decided to give them names.

"You're Nemo, and you're Bligh," she told them as she pointed to each dog. Shabgah nodded with pleasure, then quickly lowered her head again. Unused to this kind of deference, Kathryn clicked her tongue in annoyance.

She glanced up at Shabgah again quickly, a moment in which the woman lifted her face briefly but not before Kathryn saw a distraught look on the woman's face. Now her heart began to race furiously. She had just witnessed a Queen in her dying  moments, spoken to an Egyptian-looking young guard with bulging, gleaming pectorals, and now she was on her way to the Place of the Weeping Water with a distraught deaf and mute woman sitting next to her. They knew something that she didn’t. Did they think to surprise her with something strange, evil? A sliver of fear crawled up her spine. Whatever it was they wanted her to do, she was going to fight it. With no idea of Voyager's exact whereabouts, she prayed once again that they'd reach her in time to disable the force field and get her out. She'd have greater bargaining power once she was safely back on her ship…

A sudden thought struck her.

Where, she wondered, was Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius?

 ****

It was like nothing Kathryn ever imagined, this, the Place of the Weeping Water. The horses had snorted, then stopped suddenly.

Kathryn revisited the journey here in her mind…

Because Shabgah was not speaking, and Abry and Kephtah remained just as quiet on the way, she had gradually become aware of the sound of water. At first, it was a faint rushing from a distance. She couldn't see the river that was visible from the courtyard, and the people she had seen working the gardens had seemed like ants in the distance.

Now the sound captured her -  like a backdrop in a picture came the faintness of water spilling against and over a million pebbles, as if just looking at it created its resonance. Kathryn glanced quickly at Shabgah, whose hands were folded on her lap and who smiled benignly at her, before cocking her head again for the sound. Against the echo of rushing water other sounds blended in, such as the singing of exotic birds of paradise, the sudden squawking of a bird as it flew up, disturbed by something unseen. Kathryn closed her eyes, longing suddenly for home, for leaves she could touch, for rain she could feel against her skin, for the radiant sunbeams dappled on the ground under the great oak, for the river that snaked elegantly through the Grand Canyon, but mostly, for home.

Everything was green - green and glistening, the myriad varieties of leaves and fronds sprayed with mist, precisely as if nature had polished them to shiny brilliance.

Another sound merged with those of the rushing waters and the calling of the birds. It sounded like the wailing of many voices. Kathryn frowned. The weeping sounded musical, as if it had been carried to the present from a great, great distance, an echo that drifted from ancient times harmonising with the birds of paradise. It was so beautiful, yet to Kathryn's ear it was the saddest music she had ever heard.

Another glance at Shabgah who now looked up and shrugged her shoulders at Kathryn's querying look. She wished suddenly that Shabgah could hear the musical weeping, to explain it to her. Kathryn peeped through the opening on her side of the carriage and asked Kephtah, "What is that sound? That echoing weeping sound?"

"I do not hear anything, Your Highness."

Was he lying? she wondered as she sat back. Was that why Abry shrugged and Shabgah remained passive? The carriage rolled forward, the rushing waters now becoming more defined, louder, like plunging from a great height. Was it a waterfall? Weeping Water seemed to mean a waterfall. Shaking her head mentally to try and dispel the sadness, she lay back, her eyes glued to the distance. Something caught her attention. Through a slight aperture in the forest, where the rays of the twin suns plunged to the forest floor, she noticed something. Rows of flat stones that reminded her of gravestones. It was gone the moment the horses veered down the path in another direction.

"Are those gravestones?" she asked, leaning out the window again.

"It is the Tophet, Your Highness."

"Tophet?"

"A graveyard."

Then her hunch had been correct. Who could be buried there? How old were those headstones? She thought she'd ask Kephtah later, just as soon as she had seen the "weeping water". Still, as if it followed her, the echoing sad song remained in her consciousness. Why couldn't the others hear it?

Finally, they stopped.

They were on a large landing platform with a path that led to the waterfall.

The waterfall.

Its beauty was astounding. From high over a cliff, the water rushed and plunged into the depths of the large pool, into the river that snaked surprisingly thinly away from them in the opposite direction. Where the water plunged into the pool, there was another platform, a much smaller one, facing slightly away from the falling water so that if one stood there, only the mist would spray the person's face.

Kathryn couldn't keep her eyes from it, her longing gaze riveted to the sight, the sound of the musical weeping still within her. Now, perhaps the wailing took on meaning for her. She had a glimpse of the Tophet in the distance. Perhaps for those who had come to bury their loved ones, their grief was so great that the gods wished to capture their sorrow in sad songs? It began to make sense to her.

"Come, Your Highness, our Supreme Commander is waiting for you," said Kephtah.

Instantly, Shabgah alighted, moving to her side of the carriage and guiding her out, taking great care that Kathryn didn't miss her footing. The dogs bounded out, then suddenly, meekly flanked Kathryn on both sides. Kephtah handed the leashes to her. He walked in front, with Abry and Shabgah behind them. Closing her eyes, Kathryn hoped and prayed that she'd not be required to do something against her will. An image of being bedded by eunuchs made her emit a light moan of disquiet. Shaking her head, she willed Chakotay's image into her consciousness. A Chakotay standing on a planet during shore leave, bathed in the sunshine, smiling at her. "Please…please…stay with me, Chakotay…" she entreated his image.

They descended down a gradual slope from the landing pad, approaching what seemed to her to be a deep entrance carved in the sandstone on the side of the cliff. They entered, the dogs restless again but sidling close to her. Kephtah plucked a flaming torch from the wall of the cave and guided them down the tunnel until they reached a large cavern. Kathryn noted strange glyphs on the walls of the cavern, some haphazard, others appearing more formalised. Could they be messages? Her universal translator only picked up phonemes and gave her the closest meaning to English. An image of Kiridis came to mind. Didn't Chakotay say that he studied classical texts to the nth degree? When Bligh yanked on the leash, her attention was brought again to the urgency of her presence in the cavern.

In the centre was a metallic hexagon-shaped console, long, thin spikes protruding from it. Light flickered lazily from its core. It stood about a metre tall, yet threw rays of light throughout the cavern. Kathryn had wondered about Injasuti's technology. If their technology matched that of the Federation, notwithstanding the Procurator who brought her here through subspace, then it was subtle, to the point where it was almost unnoticed, at least in the area surrounding the Place of the Weeping Water.

The dogs had broken free and each guarded the opening to a tunnel. Kephtah, Abry and Shabgah moved respectfully away, backing against the wall behind her. Kathryn wondered why they behaved so strangely. In the distance, like an echo, she could hear the water.

As silently as  a ghost, a tall man appeared from one of the side tunnels. When he approached Kathryn, he bowed deeply, then straightened up. He had a thin, gaunt, face with angular planes, eyebrows that seemed to originate from the centre between his eyes, arching sharply upwards. He wore a goatee that grew to a long point.

"Your Highness…" 

His voice was a light tenor, almost a thin screech. A thought struck Kathryn as she recognised it. It was the voice of the man she’d heard outside her room, in conversation with Livia Gaiden, the housekeeper.

"Who are you?" Kathryn asked, maintaining her air of ignorance.

"I am Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius, Keeper of the Eternal Offering."

"Ah, the Offering," Kathryn started. "I have heard too much of it since I have recovered this morning. Tell me now, Supreme Commander, what is the Offering and what is my role in this?

The Supreme Commander smiled, a sly smile that made Kathryn's heart lurch suddenly in fear. He rubbed his hands together. He lifted his chin, turned his head slightly to his right.

"Come!" he commanded in a peremptory tone.

Silence at first. Then the sound of shuffling feet. Kathryn turned her head in the direction of the sound, the footsteps coming closer. In the tunnel entrance stood a young woman dressed in a long robe, her head wrapped in a shawl. Kathryn's eyes met hers briefly, long enough to register a look of awe and distress. But it was what she held that drew Kathryn's attention, her eyes fixed inexorably on the bundle in her arms. The woman moved slowly until she stood next to Afzhal Serinius. Kathryn heard the cry of a baby. The woman lifted the shawl away from the baby's face and Kathryn saw a tiny, pudgy arm sticking out and thrashing the air. The mother's hand grasped the little one's hand. Her lips moved as if in song. The baby stopped crying.

Instinctively Kathryn moved to look at the baby, but Afzhal's hand went up and she paused, her eyes not wavering from the child. Afzhal took the baby from the mother; he held the baby up, above his shoulders. Then he lowered the child. The shawl had fallen away so that its face was exposed. The baby turned its head and looked at Kathryn.

For a few seconds, her heart stopped. She was staring into the bluest eyes she had ever seen on any human person. And then the baby smiled open-mouthed, the tears of earlier halted. Kathryn felt as if something squeezed her heart. She wished to hold the friendly baby in her arms, already open to perform that action.

"This is the Offering, Queen Khaira," said Afzhal proudly. "This child is to be Offered to our Venerable Supreme Goddess Tanith. And you, Queen Khaira, as the Incarnation of our Goddess Tanith in whom we all believe and find hope, you will drive the dagger into her heart before you place her on the burning arms of our Tanith."

Only then did the horror of her task strike her. The image of twenty eight babies in their mothers' arms on a stricken vessel came to her. They fled to escape this, the realisation stormed through her. She had to kill a baby.

"No…no…no…!!" Kathryn cried.

 *

 END CHAPTER SX

 

******

 

END CHAPTER SIX


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

 After Chakotay and his guide left for the Senior Ministry, Torres and Kiridis looked expectantly at their escort. There was only one now after the second guide had whispered something to his friend and then hastily bade them farewell. The remaining senator studied them, his eyes going to the tricorders they held in their hands, the belts carrying their sidearms, and their insignia.

"I am Senator Mendakhan. I have heard you are not from this sector. Where are you from?"

"A planet called Earth," replied B'Elanna who didn't seem phased that the senator had looked particularly pointedly at her. "But my homeworld is called Q'nos," she added. "My name is B'Elanna Torres. I am a Klingon and this is Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis."

Lieutenant Kiridis thought that B'Elanna sounded proud of her heritage.

"Then not all from Earth are…like us?" Mendakhan asked.

"Most of them are. Many have settled on other worlds as well."

"Our ancestors were brought here by most unusual means - "

"I know," Kiridis said as they took a few steps across the piazza, in a northerly direction. "You originated from our homeworld."

"Then you must share your knowledge with us. We do not have many historical records of the period before our arrival here…"

"As soon as we have retrieved our captain," said B'Elanna, suddenly a little irritated again. "Please, we don't have much time."

"Where would you like to go?" the senator asked. 

"Well, we'd like to know the whereabouts of Captain Janeway. I take it she's not in the city?"

"No, she is not, unfortunately. We believe she has been brought here to replace our dying queen."

B'Elanna and Marcus stopped in their tracks.

"So that is why she was whisked away by your Caretaker?"

"Caretaker? I do not understand."

"Someone - a lifeform that can transport people - "

The senator's hand went up and he gave a broad smile. "Ah, yes. He is called the Procurator. Yes, your Captain Janeway is right now most likely in the palace on a hill near the Place of the Weeping Water…"

"A waterfall?" whispered Kiridis, astounded that his hunch had been correct. His ears turned beetroot red when B'Elanna gave him a shriveling look.

"Okay, Kiridis, so you know more than I do. What else?" she asked, turning to the senator who began to sense an undercurrent of hostility between the two.

"Well, there's a force field around the whole area where the Injasuti Sect reside."

"Now we're talking. A force field. And you say this force field protects the people of this sect from outside intervention?" Torres shot her question while her eyes were on the tricorder.

"That has always been the way of this world, Lieutenant Torres. No one has been allowed to enter unless it is decreed."

"By whom?" asked Kiridis.

"Their leader. A madman, many people think. All on this world bow to the Holy Writs, that which has guided us for thousands of years and kept us safe."

"Have there been any _invitations_ in recent years?"

"Once Queen Toreth, whom we have heard is dying, visited acquaintances in the city. But that is all. I know of no other instances…" He paused. Then, "It is of great risk to disable the force field. In the past, many of our people have died."

"When you succeed in breaching the force field, what then?" asked Torres.

"We will be at war. To end forever the rituals that no longer serve our people."

"You will go to war against your own people?" asked Kiridis who clearly looked outraged. His frumpled ears again glowed red from indignation.

"Our emperor," soothed the senator, "has decreed that the time for war is past. He is convinced that peace can be attained by other means, such as quiet diplomacy." The senator paused again, taking time to gather his breath. "Although our technology is advanced when we compare it to other worlds in this system, we have failed at every attempt to breach the force field, Lieutenant Kiridis."

"Would you accept help from Voyager?" asked B'Elanna.

"Did not the Osiris call for help and the starship Voyager responded to its call?"

"Osiris?"

"That is the name of the vessel with women and children on board," the senator replied.

 B'Elanna started, "The force field keeps people inside to protect them - "

"To keep them prisoners, you mean." retorted Kiridis.

B'Elanna's jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide.

"Yeah, Kiridis. I guess I never thought of it like that. Stupid me."

"Well," interjected the senator, "the passengers and crew of the Osiris were not from inside the Place of the Weeping Water. They were from the cities of Injasuti. Every five years, the names of women who have just had babies are selected. They must all report on a certain day, when the leader of the sect, Afzhal Serinius, drops the force field and then transports them inside before the force field is reactivated. They must go."

"The passengers and crew of the Osiris were murdered, Senator Mendakhan."

"That is what we have learned," the senator said sadly. "I shall take you to the great Library of Antiquity. Perhaps there you might find a way…"

"Of doing what?"

"Of, well…the perusing the works of the great poet Appian Rai. It is said that his work has prophetic import. It is visionary. Who knows? You might find something. We have been unsuccessful so far in divining the visions of Appian. When we thought we had come close to finding an answer, it was only to learn that it lies not on this world.."

"Senator Mendakhan, I can assure you that the Voyager officers will do all they can to try and deactivate the force field," promised Torres.

"Even if we have to defy the laws that govern our own world," reminded Kiridis her of the Prime Directive.

"Thank you, B'Elanna Torres, Lieutenant Kiridis. Our population is dwindling and to have lost so many women and their children… Well, you can understand how we can no longer continue such a ritual."

Torres nodded and they followed Senator Mendakhan in silence.

When they arrived at the Library of Antiquity, Mendakhan left them, with the promise of meeting up with them again soon. Torres tapped her commbadge.

"Torres to Voyager…"

"Lieutenant Tuvok, here. What have you ascertained?"

"A force field that surrounds the whole area of the Injasuti Sect, about a hundred kilometres from the First City. It covers the equivalent of three cities. The Injasuti Government has had no luck deactivating the field in all this time. I suggest you put Seven of Nine on to this, Tuvok."

"Acknowledged. I will keep you informed of our progress. Tuvok out."

 

 ****

 

In the Library of Antiquity a surly looking human who bore a name tag written in Phoenician - Kiridis had whispered to B'Elanna it meant Ahinadab -  merely pointed in the direction of Injasuti Poetical Literature before he continued reading from a PADD. B'Elanna had cursed the fact that they didn't think to bring along a Federation PADD and the librarian had first bent low under his desk, then half threw the PADD Kiridis had requested on the counter.

Now they were poring over texts by Appian Rai. Torres swore softly under her breath before looking at Kiridis.

"It's Greek to me," she said. "My tricorder is scrambling the phonemic glyphs…"

"Not to worry, Lieutenant. It's not that difficult." He gave her a cautious smile. He breathed a sigh of relief when Torres didn't snarl at him. Her voice sounded normal now. "Perhaps you should keep scanning the texts…?"

"Gmph."

For the next minutes, Kiridis remained focused on the poetry of Appian Rai. Then suddenly, he drew in his breath sharply, capturing the text on his PADD. After staring at it for what seemed like hours, he expelled a long breath, like a low whistle.

"Found something?" Torres asked, on the alert.

"Maybe…"

"All I see are crazy lines and symbols. Not even Klingon is that bad."

"It's a poem. Phoenician."

"Naturally."

"It is," he reiterated. Then he read the text slowly in the Phoenician tongue as best as he could deduce the words, meaning and accents…

 

_Hark, the unseen wall will strike_

_when touched by human hands;_

_be they rocks or rods of steel or wood_

_all else conduct the vilest snakes of hell_

_And shall they crawl through flesh_

_to burn from inside until none but ash remains_

_Thus danger lurks around the Place of Weeping_

_keeping Baal's believers in, disciples_

_held by ancients laws to Offer their children -_

_to the burning arms of Tanith_

_weep long wails that with the song of water unified._

_How shall this wall be breached if not by touch_

_which Procurator's curse did put upon our world?_

_It shall come to pass by faith alone_

_for only then in faith can mountains move_

_and walls give way._

_But lo! Our gracious queen be freed_

_by fealty, and him whose heart_

_forever joins with her…_

_For only then, once barriers are laid waste_

_and gone forever, shall a warrior_

_someday, someday, break the spell_

_that binds her to her laws._

 

"Do you actually understand all this?" Torres asked.

"I'll try my best."

"Okay, let's start with these first lines…"

 

    _Hark the unseen walls will strike_ … _when touched by human hands_

 

"That means the force field. Don't touch it with your bare hands?" she asked.

"Yes. And the next two lines mean that not even rocks, or iron rods or wood  will prevent one from

being hurt seriously when one tries to strike the force field. You will burn to a cinder."

     "Wow…" B'Elanna's attention was now riveted to the text. "So much meaning, huh."

"This wall, as Senator Mendakhan said, is the force field that surrounds the Place of Weeping and its

immediate areas."

     "So basically a perimeter around the whole area and dome-shaped, I suppose."

     "Aye… The following lines - "  He resumed translating.

 

_Thus danger lurks around the Place of Weeping_

_keeping Baal's believers in, disciples_

_held by Ancient Laws to Offer their children -_

_to the burning arms of Tanith_

"Tanith is their supreme Goddess," murmured Kiridis. "The burning arms?"

"That could be a kind of bowl in her arms," Torres ventured. "And there are flames in the bowl?"

"Yes. In ancient Carthaginian times it was the arms of Moloch, another of their deities into which girl babies or young toddlers were pitched after being killed."

B'Elanna shuddered at Kiridis's words. There was no doubt as to the truth of them. "So the Ancient Laws could mean their rituals that they've brought with them from Earth?" she ventured.

"Correct. And the force field keeps the people inside like prisoners."

"You were right, what you said earlier about the people inside being prisoners."

"He uses the word _disciples_. So they are followers of the ritual."

"Not all of them. They have no choice, those who live in the cities," B'Elanna said softly, thinking of the women and babies who had died fleeing from the ritual.

Kiridis continued. "Here the poet asks how the wall can be breached if not by touch… Also, the Procurator's responsible for the force field."

_How shall this wall be breached if not by touch_

_which Procurator's curse did put upon our world?_

"That might just make Seven's work a little more difficult," B'Elanna said reflectively. "We were very far behind the technology of the sporocystian lifeforms. Seven will have her work cut out."

    "It might not even be necessary, Lieutenant Torres - "

"Call me B'Elanna," said Torres. "You've earned it."

Kiridis gave her a smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Next you're going to tell me the force field can be breached?"

"Why yes, of course," he blurted.

"You know the EMH can straighten out your ears?"

"I always thought I'm normal."

That effectively shut her up about his appearance.

Kiridis read the next lines.

 

_It shall come to pass by faith alone_

_for only then in faith can mountains move_

_and walls give way._

"Huh?"

"Well, it says that faith alone can breach the force field, like faith moving mountains…"

"That's the second unseen thing so far," she noted, and when Kiridis gave a nod of approval, her bosom swelled with pride. "An unseen thing that must disable another unseen thing. Wow."

"And the walls will move away."

"Faith. Whose faith?"

"Don’t know…yet. Look at these lines. I'll read them…

 

_Our gracious queen be freed_

_by fealty, and him whose heart_

_forever joins with her…_

"Our gracious queen - would that be the Queen of the Injasuti?"

"Yes, Queen Toreth. But listen, Appian is referring to a queen even more ancient than Queen Toreth. Thousands of years ago."

"They had a force field then?"

"Yes."

"So why can't it mean a present Queen? If Captain Janeway is inside, she's the queen, right?"

"Queen Khaira… I saw the name Khaira scrawled on the bulkhead of the Osiris!"

"Only loyalty can save her. Whose loyalty? The crew of Voyager?" she asked.

"No, B'Elanna. Only him whose heart forever joins with her."

"Chakotay…"

"Aye."

"They've always been friends, Kiridis. Does that count?"

"When the friendship barrier is crossed - "

"Maybe in their hearts they've already crossed that barrier…" Torres murmured.

"Not _maybe._ They have already done so, B'Elanna."

"Only they may not know it."

"Or acknowledge it."

"Well, Marcus, now is the time for him whose heart forever joins with her to acknowledge his fealty. Or I shall kill him myself."

"Please, we need the Commander, B'Elanna."

"There's more?" she asked as his brow knitted together. B'Elanna thought how those thick brows needed no invitation to knit together. But the man was intent on reading the script.

 

_For only then, once barriers are laid waste_

_and gone forever, shall a warrior_

_someday, someday, break the spell_

_that binds her to her laws._

 

"Yes. Once the barriers - the force field - " B'Elanna construed.

"Or those Captain Janeway erected round her heart…"

"Of course! Those barriers shall disappear forever. And the Injasuti will never be subjected to the Offering again! No more force field."

"And no more Federation laws. Commander Chakotay must prove and avow his undying, everlasting devotion to his Queen Khaira."

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"Now we hail Commander Chakotay and tell him that the future of our Queen rests on him entirely."

"It only needs a warrior's devotion to break the spell. Why hasn't this been done before?" Kiridis asked, perplexed.

"The previous Queen must have had someone. A warrior whom she loved with all her heart."

"Then they got to her and to the warrior before the walls could come down," he added, awed that they had discovered the way to save Captain Janeway.

"I'd like to hear her story."

"She is dead, Lieutenant Torres. Why else is Captain Janeway Queen Khaira?"

"Right. I forget I'm with you, the one with the answers."

"It's not that - "

"Okay, okay!" said B'Elanna, giving a low chuckle.

Just at that moment her commbadge beeped.

"Seven of Nine to Lieutenant Torres."

"Torres here. What's your status?" 

"The frequency of the force field is not of any species assimilated by the Borg. Its signals are complex, too complex to create viable rerouting where damage to any individual touching or trying to physically breach the barrier is minimal. It will take another five hours to get to that stage alone. Even then, the safety of any person trying to pass through cannot be guaranteed."

"Well, Seven, I suggest you continue your work. The High Council of Injasuti might find it useful for future breaches."

"Lieutenant," Marcus Kiridis's whispered, "once the barrier is down, it will be gone forever, remember?"

"Is there something I should know, Lieutenant Torres?" asked Seven.

"What we have here, is what we hope will work. There is a possibility - "

"It is a fact," whispered Marcus.

"Shut up, Marcus. Let me handle this."

"What is a fact?" asked Seven of Nine, her voice sounding cold and distant, with some static from B'Elanna's commbadge.

"Well, Kiridis here has decoded an ancient text that says the force field can be disabled permanently. Let Tuvok know that there is a way, and the way is through Chakotay."

"Commander Chakotay?"

"Will be the one to deactivate the force field. He is our only hope of rescuing Captain Janeway. Torres out."

 

**The Injasuti Agricultural Organisation**

"And you say there are all kinds of fruit growing on Injasuti?" asked Neelix.

"Yes. Anything from dates and olives to pineapples, oranges and apples. Many different varieties of vegetables too."

"There are no gemstones?" asked Chell, a little disappointed.

"Precious metals such as ora, silver and jamshid."

"Jamshid?"

"Whiter than ora. It is very, very valuable and used for the crafting of jewellery."

"Sounds like platinum to me."

"Will you take us to some farms where we can look at your fruit? Once our Captain is safe, I am sure she will negotiate a trading agreement," said Neelix.

"I'll just go for all the metals," hummed Chell through an almost closed mouth as he balanced on his heels with his hands behind his back. "I'm in the mood for some crafting. There is a place where I can look?"

"Oh, yes," replied their guide, Senator Bokassa. "I will make sure you get to see the precious metals."

"You wouldn't by any chance have dilithium and trilithium as well?" Chell fired at him.

"We do. But trading for precious metals and energy must only be concluded with the Injasuti High Command. I cannot make a ruling on that."

"Don't worry - "

"Yes, I know. Your Captain Janeway will negotiate."

"Right!" Neelix said with an ebullient smile. "Now, shall we go to the farms and markets?"

"You are strange beings - "

"I'm Talaxian and he's Bolian," Neelix said, as if he thought the senator lacked intelligence.

"We see many visitors here from other worlds in our system who do not look like us," retorted Senator Bokassa imperiously. "I am accustomed to seeing alien beings. You two seem unable to maintain a firm balance, shifting from one leg to the other. Do you wish to use a water closet?"

"Senator," blustered Neelix, "I would very much like to use a water closet. Whatever that is."

"A pee pot," replied Chell.

"Huh?"

"And, may I add," said Bokassa in his imperious tone," you two seem oblivious of the plight of your captain."

"Senator," began Neelix, "I am not a hero. I am just a man in the kitchen who cooks meals for the crew of my ship - "

"Even I can't eat it, and I have a grate for a tongue," Chell said. "But, Senator, let me assure you that Commander Chakotay has everything under control. If anyone can save our captain, it will be he whom we call The Warrior. We," he said, pushing a forefinger first against his own chest before jabbing Neelix, "have absolute faith in Commander Chakotay. Though I would not have minded being a hero for a few minutes. I'll think of something…"

"Well, then," said the senator, smiling for the first time, "shall we go?"

"Lead the way!" beamed Chell.

"I can't wait to eat ancient apples!" retorted Neelix.

 

 ***

 

"That is the truth, Commander Chakotay," said Lieutenant Kiridis.

They were again in the centre of the piazza with its obelisk rising tall above them. In the early afternoon it was hot. Chakotay stood, hands on his hips, as he stared at Kiridis and Torres.

"It's futile to deactivate the force field from Voyager's computers?"

"Look, Chakotay," began Torres, "we've already told you what the ancient scripts said. Only he of great loyalty - "

"To the Queen," added Kiridis.

" - would be able to breach the force field. It is written."

"Why hasn't this been done hundreds of years ago?"

"Because there never was a warrior quite like you. Now stop asking questions and think about how you're going to breach the force field," B'Elanna spat impatiently.

"Forever," Kiridis added.

Chakotay nodded and took a deep breath. How to do it? His father had knotted him in mystery, always enigmatic, always making him think too hard. But Kolopak had intimated the same thing. Could he go there, to the Place of the Weeping Water and just place his hands upon the force field? Torres had said any human touch would result in instant incineration. Those who had tried before had gone up in flames.

He thought of Kathryn and realised with a sinking feeling that they were fast running out of time. If he didn't go to the Injasuti Sect now and try to deactivate the force field, Kathryn would be lost to them forever. What Torres and Kiridis as well as the Emperor had told him, small babies - girls - were used as live human sacrifice to venerate the ancient Goddess Tanith. Those were barbaric practices that had died out long ago, except here on Injasuti. If Kathryn was inducted as Queen Khaira, she might have no choice but to conduct such a sacrifice.

Kathryn Janeway would never agree to it. Never. He had seen her descend into hell when she had to kill Tuvix to get Tuvok and Neelix back. It had been one of the most difficult decisions Kathryn had had to make as captain of Voyager, when even the doctor refused to touch Tuvix. She had walked about Voyager going about her duty as if what she had done in the normal course of everyday events. She smiled, talked with her crew, sometimes spent time in the mess hall with some of them. All the time she had smiled her way through.

But Chakotay knew of the nights, those dark enclosures that no one could see except him. He saw the masks peeling away, leaving an exhausted, distraught, guilt-ridden Kathryn Janeway who could only be let go in his presence. Never did they really talk, for then all Kathryn needed was her hands held in his, sitting next to him where she could rest her head against his chest and fall asleep in that position. Those nights he'd stroke the damp hair away from her forehead, squeeze her arm gently and just sit with her. He'd wait until she said something. If she never spoke, it was also fine with him. But sometimes she did.

"He haunts me still, Chakotay…"

"Perhaps to tell you he remains a good memory."

"How can a haunting be a good memory?"

"I think he knows how it pained you. Did he smile the last time you saw his image?"

Kathryn had turned her face up to him, and in the semi dark of his quarters, he could see how damp her cheeks were.

"He smiled… How did you know?"

"Instinct, I suppose."

"Thank you, Chakotay."

"If it helps any, both Neelix and Tuvok have honoured Tuvix by keeping his memory alive in the holodeck…"

Kathryn hadn't known and the news had come as a surprise.

"He smiled," Kathryn repeated her words of earlier.

"I know, Kathryn."

After that night Kathryn had been more relaxed, yet she had never mentioned ever going to the holodeck to see what Neelix and Tuvok had created for themselves, to remember and honour a man who had once been their unification.

Now, Kathryn as Queen Khaira had to do it again and this time, he knew she would fight to the bitter end not to be put in a situation where she'd have to kill someone, a little girl child.

"Commander!"

He woke from his reverie to see the concerned faces of Torres and Kiridis.

"I'll do my very best, even if I have to die in the process," he said to them.

"Careful, Commander. We want you alive to tell the captain."

"Tell her what?"

"How you would die if she were not part of your life forever."

 

*

 

END CHAPTER SEVEN

 


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

Kathryn stared horrified at Afzhal Serinius. She recoiled instinctively at the very thought of killing a child - any person for that matter. Her body turned ice cold, her hand covering her mouth. She felt a wetness around her eyes, and realised she was actually weeping. With superhuman strength, she fought back her tears. Her hand moved away from her mouth. She turned to face the mother of the baby, saw a brief, anguished look in her eyes before the look was replaced by…forced pride?

She glanced around her. Against the wall of the cave stood Kephtah, Abry and Shabgah, unmoving, like statues. The dogs were on their haunches, quite still next to Kephtah.

Then she faced Afzhal Serinius again, shaking her head.

"Upon my life, I refuse to be a part of this - this murder!"

"Your Highness, it is your duty. You owe Injasuti this duty. You cannot turn back from it."

"My people will find a way - "

"Impossible. The force field is impenetrable. No human hand or any other instrument can touch it. No one can come through, Queen Khaira. Anyone trying will die an instant death! The Offering must come to pass. You shall make it so."

In desperation Kathryn tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Voyager…Janeway to Voyager…" 

There was only static. It was an attempt at least. Since she had woken from her coma, she had known that they had recalibrated the frequency of her commbadge.

"I cannot do it, Supreme Commander. It is against everything I stand for - the preservation of life before all else."

"That is not your personal motto but that of your Federation, Queen Khaira. You are now one of us."

"No, I am not! I am instilled with the mores and ethics of my Federation, yes. But as a person, a human being standing before you, I cannot in good conscience kill an innocent being. Innocent, do you hear me? Innocent!"

"And I tell you, your Highness, that it is her very innocence that is commended and offered to our Venerable Goddess. For all time shall the child be honoured in death…"

"How can you say that? Believe that? What you are doing is nothing more than murder, the wilful slaying of an innocent just so that your prayer to a goddess can be fulfilled!"

"It is our way, Khaira."

"It is a way that seeks change! Twenty eight women, their babies and four men were killed. Why did they leave? We responded to a distress call, and we were too late to save them. Murdered - poisoned by you. I don't doubt that for a second now. Why did they flee? It is obvious that they did not wish to be party to this…slaughter of the innocents."

"They fled because they were cowards, Khaira. They had to be stopped - "

"So help me God, I tell you again that I refuse to drive a dagger through living flesh."

"But, Khaira, you are not so innocent in the killing of a person."

"What…?"

"I know that you took it upon yourself to kill one Tuvix…"

Kathryn closed her eyes. Of course, Voyager had been scanned that first time. If Serinius wanted to hit her somewhere that exposed her guilt, her remorse, it was going to be with Tuvix. She felt the prick of tears again, the burning sensation behind closed eyelids that made her remember doe-like eyes which never left her conscience. Tuvix in those last moments as he begged for his life, her efforts at trying to forget, to push him right to the back of her mind so that he could vanish in the mires of forgetfulness, the hazy plateau where nothing was defined as memory anymore. She pictured the nights sitting next to Chakotay in his quarters, drawing on his strength, his comfort, the solace he offered, his indefatigable support of her and the constant reassurance that Tuvix had accepted her decision.

Now, dreadfully close to the fore, Tuvix haunted her again. She had killed him. It didn't matter that in the greater scheme of things, she disassembled him to retrieve two well-loved crew. She could tell herself a thousand times that that was the payoff - she had Neelix and Tuvok back. What did it matter? The guilt was intensified a thousand times as she tried to forget those begging eyes.

Tuvix was a fully functional being who had become attached to the crew, a member of the Voyager assembly of men and women whose only task was to get home. Tuvix was gone.

"I did not kill Tuvix, you must know that. I am not a killer - "

"Then this task will be fulfilled, for you will not kill, but _Offer_ … _That_ is different…"

Kathryn looked at the baby who had returned to the arms of her mother. The child looked no more than a year old. Again the sting of tears as the baby smiled at her, sticking out a hand to reach for her. Kathryn moved forward spontaneously. When the mother nodded shyly, she touched the baby's forehead, the soft hair, her cheeks. When she took hold of the little one's hand, fingers clasped tightly around her fingers. The baby smiled, four perfect teeth showing. Kathryn extricated her finger from the child's hand and stood back.

"I cannot do this, Supreme Commander. As I stand here, you may have to kill me. I will die first before I do anything to this beautiful child."

Kathryn gave a little sob as she stood back. Once again, she looked round to where the others were still standing like statues. Why weren't they moving? Why did the dogs lie so still? When she turned to face Afzhal Serinius, it was to see his eyes changed. They literally changed colour. They had been a light brown. Now they appeared silver, orbs from which rays of light shone sharply.

"I am Afzhal Serinius, Keeper of the Holy Offer. You shall do as I command."

"With respect, Serinius, I am Kathryn Janeway of the starship Voyager and I shall not obey your command. I follow my deepest instinct not to take a life, however much I may be provoked to do so."

She pointed to the mother and child. "That little girl deserves to grow up, to be a child, to be educated, to fulfil her dreams, to enter young womanhood, to have children one day. I cannot and will not do your bidding." Her voice sounded like an echo in the cavern and as she looked at the young mother, she saw tears flowing from the woman's eyes. No one wanted this, Kathryn realised. No one. But where was Voyager? Time was running out. How long could she keep this madman at bay? How long?

In that moment Afzhal Serinius stepped menacingly closer. Kathryn retreated, three, four steps. Afzhal looked beyond her to the three standing still against the wall and he nodded. Then his eyes bore into Kathryn's again.

"In the past we have had Queens like you, Khaira. But I bent them to my will. You will obey me…"

His very breath struck fear into her heart. She hit her commbadge.

"Janeway to Voyager… Janeway to Chakotay… respond…respond!"

_I need you now…_

"You will obey me…"

The fear exploded in her.

_Voyager…where are you…?_

'No…no…"

Kathryn retreated further, then felt herself backing against the three humans. They had come closer, she realised with dread. The dogs began to growl. Her hands were caught in those of Abry and Shabgah. She tried to wriggle free.

"No…"

"Oh, yes, Your Highness."

"Chakotay…please, I need you now…"

Abry and Shabgah pushed her gently forward so that she stood hardly a metre from Afzhal Serinius. The sharp glow from his eyes returned, two laser beams she instinctively needed to avoid. His palm snaked out, to her face. There was something lodged in his hand. Kathryn had not noticed it before. While Abry and Shabgah held her she became immobile, the need to flee suddenly subdued as the beams from Afzhal's eyes bore into hers. The next moment she felt the cold metal as his palm connected with her forehead. Instantly she felt pain, making her scream. A thousand little pinpricks entered her and swiftly spread into her skull, her body. Kathryn gave another anguished cry. The pain was overwhelming, so intense that her body slackened. The hands that held hers moved to support her. She gave another choked cry as shard after shard of pain lanced her. The shards became images, of the past, of the present.

A flicker of an image - Tuvix who smiled at her, Ransom's redemption as he went down with his ship, dark nights in her quarters as they traveled through the void, a man - Calem - who believed his daughter was still alive and how she became the vision of the daughter, Ralkana… Then the images were replaced by another, a loving face. Her head began to swim. More images…the face of a warrior who sat with her nights and told her it was alright to cry. The face of a warrior who showed her that Tuvix lived on in the memories of Tuvok and Neelix. They had made it so. She heard his voice from as far back as that first day. "She's the captain… She's the captain… She's the captain." Always it was his voice, his smile, his eyes as they assured her, the tattoo she sometimes caressed with trembling fingers, that gave comfort to her battered soul.

One by one those images faded into oblivion. The last thing she could remember or see was Chakotay's hand on hers. _Don't leave me, Chakotay…please don't leave…_ That image slowly dissolved even as she tried to hold on to it.

Then all was gone. In the blankness created by the excising of memories, a new collection of images entered...

 *

 Afzhal Serinius removed his hand from Queen Khaira's face minutes later and gave a wicked little smile. She appeared like the walking dead. Then he told the two servants, "That will be all. Your services will be remembered, Abry and Shabgah."

When they released Khaira, she stood up straight, her eyes on him. They were glazed, all memory of a ship, a crew, a man who smiled, gone.

Afzhal snapped his fingers and instantly Kephtah, her guard, stepped forward with the dogs in tow.

"Yes, Supreme Commander?"

"See that she is kept in her room. Her instructions have been given her. In one hour we shall begin the ceremony."

"Yes, Supreme Commander," said Kephtah as he gently led a docile Kathryn away in the same direction from which the woman and child had come.

When they reached a small entrance, Kathryn stopped and turned to Kephtah. Her eyes were blank. She looked at him but could not see him. Her trance was complete. Often he had seen Queen Toreth with such a look. It would be impossible to break the spell. Khaira touched his chest. It was a strangely comforting gesture, like an echo from her deepest memories that still resonated in her heart. She must have touched someone in the same way many times for it appeared to him familiar, beloved. He was a subordinate, yet the caress of her palm against his shoulder seemed not for him, but someone else. He tried to smile. There was no such luxury anymore, nor could he weep. It was ordained and he had to fulfil his part of it.

"In one hour, the Offering begins," she said softly, her voice low. It felt to him as if a hand squeezed his heart.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then I shall pass a dagger through the child's body."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then it is good, Kephtah. The Offering shall come to pass…"

Kephtah wanted to weep. He could not. He was a man. Men did not weep on Injasuti. They had been denied that need for hundreds of years. Who knew whose child would be next? They could not know that the baby to be offered was his brother's child. That was why he’d remained in the shadows so that the baby did not see him and recognise him. Now it was too late to save the baby, too late to save Queen Khaira. Too late. If he tried to escape, where would he hide? The unseen wall had struck many escaping men and women, even children, with its deadly fire, a fire that instantly consumed the whole body. Many knew where the boundary of the wall was for the ash of the dead that had seeped into the soil. Yes, where could he hide? Where could he take his brother's child and its mother? In the depths of secrecy he had told her that she could flee with the women who left Injasuti. She did not want to leave her husband, her family. Now he learned that those women and their children were dead, surely killed by Afzhal Serinius who did not know of the child's relationship to him.

Just as certain that no one could enter the Place of the Weeping water, so no one could escape. For him, his brother's wife, for Queen Khaira, for any young mother, there was no escape.

The Supreme Commander had made sure of that.

Kephtah's heart burned with the old shame that flared, the shame of being a willing witness to an order that surely had to come to an end.

Queen Khaira's eyes were different now. Not her own. She was no longer the woman who was the leader of her people as he had heard. She was no longer the commander of a starship. She had tried to fight, just like Toreth fought, but it was impossible to fight Afzhal Serinius. Where was her ship, her officers? Would they be in time to save her?

Without speaking, he led Queen Khaira to a large bed. He removed her head dress carefully and lifted her so that she could lie down on it. Khaira closed her eyes, one hand resting on her bosom. Soon she fell into a light slumber. The pain from the trance Afzhal had put her in was severe and taxing on the body. He had seen Queen Toreth like this and always, after the Offering, it took her days to recover from her ordeal. Toreth had finally stood up to Afzhal, protesting his interference, sending away the eunuchs, refusing to conduct the last Offering. Afzhal repaid her by silencing her. Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius was a man without mercy, cold, steeped in the tradition of the Injasuti. He was a dangerous man to cross and Toreth had tried. But Toreth died.

Kephtah pulled a light cover over Queen Khaira, marveling again at her beauty, how even in her trance, she could sleep so peacefully.

He gave a sad little sigh. Once today was over, Afzhal would tie her to him forever. First, he would mate her with a male from the southern continents so that she could produce a girl child. A serum injected into her body would ensure that the mating would result in a female. Khaira would not object to the mating because, while still in a trance, she would expect it. After the mating and after the  birth of the baby, Afzhal would bring the eunuchs to service the queen for as long as he ordered them to. She would have no choice. Once the trance wore off, Afzhal would simply put the spell on her again until she capitulated. Kephtah shook his head.

"There is nothing I can do but stand by and watch…"

  ****

 Outside, people had begun to gather for the Offering. They came from the furthest boundaries of Injasuti that lay within the unseen wall. Three hundred thousand people lived inside this area. Many had come to witness the induction of the new queen. Word had spread that Queen Toreth had died and that the Procurator, invoked by Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius, had brought to them a new Queen. Many of the women who came were honoured mothers whose babies had been sacrificed and whose ashes now lay in urns under the headstones of the Tophet. They were curious about the new Queen and wanted to see the Offering. As soon as the child has been lifted into the burning arms of the Goddess Tanith, they would begin their wailing. Always, their wailing sprung from their deepest sadness, joining with the weeping of the mother whose child was to be sacrificed today.

Among the tall plants, the trees, half hidden by the fan-like fronds, they stood like monoliths, unmoving, waiting. Through the sheen of the waterfall, they could be seen in their long tunics, their arms folded. There was a low, constant hum which was the sound of their wordless chanting, soft and hypnotic against the deafening sound of water.

From the platform in front of the waterfall the ground rose up, so that the chanting men and women rose against the sides of the valley, upon the terraces. There were no children and all who were present wore colours of gold or blue or red.

Kephtah observed them from behind the curtain of water, their figures a little blurred in the mist. Today was to be an auspicious day as the new queen, Queen Khaira, would be inaugurated by conducting her first Offering. It seemed to him that all who lived inside the protective unseen wall had come to participate in the ceremony. Many were just curious and then there were those who, despite the horror , the shamefulness of this continuing practice, took a macabre pleasure in watching a baby die.

They would not pray for luck or good fortune or divine intervention from their Goddess Tanith, bless her Holy Name, nor would they seek her counsel or her wisdom. For their new Queen, only a deep and sacred veneration through the sacrifice of a girl child. While many did not like it anymore, they were still drawn to witness the ritual. It was the law of Injasuti.

Kephtah's heart quickened at the thought of the child. Neither Abry nor Shabgah knew that the child was the child of his brother. Her mother had pointedly and deliberately ignored him so that Afzhal could not suspect anything. Had she not hoped that he would be able to intervene and stop the sacrifice of her baby? Serinius, he knew, would have had him killed right away had he known about Kephtah's affiliation to the child, whom his brother had named Irezah. Never was the baby's name to be openly mentioned after her selection, but in his heart he thought of the baby by the name given her. Had he not hoped that he himself might be able to stop the Offering?

Perhaps he was not a hero, but his heart was great. So he prayed fervently to the God of the Ancient Hebrew whom few on Injasuti worshipped, to break this cycle, to intervene on his behalf and on behalf of little Irezah who was to die within the hour. Silently he entreated the Great Deity, felt the storm rage in his heart until the raging merged with the raging of the waterfall. When the fury in his heart calmed and settled into a quiet flowing stream, he stopped.

Kephtah turned and walked back into the depths of the cavern. The people were ready, Afzhal was ready and Queen Khaira was almost ready. On Afzhal's signal, Queen Khaira would appear with the statue of the Supreme Goddess Tanith on the square platform. Against a wall, there was a small panel which he pressed. An opening appeared in the wall. Kephtah stepped inside. He called a word that sounded like "dungeon". On that signal the small enclosure, like a lift, carried him down into the depths underneath the mountain.

When the lift stopped and the door opened, he stepped into the large room. Kephtah knew that when the signal was given, the entire floor of the room would move up to the platform - in reality two trap doors that slid sideways and down to let the floor of the throne room to appear in its place.

There were candles everywhere. In the middle was a small circular stand and on it a large, ornate dagger encrusted with red, green and white gemstones. In front of the stand was Queen Khaira, this time dressed in cloth of ora, with rows and rows of beads of white jamshid streaming from her head dress framing her face. Her hands were painted with intricate patterns, the wrists adorned with bangles. She did not look up when he entered the altar room, but kept her gaze on the ceremonial dagger in front of her. Beside her stood the two Egyptian dogs like statues.

On a low dais was the life size statue of the Goddess Tanith, six metres in front of the small stand containing the dagger. Between the statue of the Goddess Tanith with the burning bowl in her arms and the dagger stand was another small rectangular stand; on it the baby of his brother was already lying. Kephtah felt his heart burn with shame. When he stood behind the waterfall looking at the people who had arrived for the Offering, he knew that his brother was also among the crowd.

He didn't dare show recognition, but when he looked at little Irezah lying there peacefully, he realised that her peacefulness was brought about by a sedative that Afzhal had given her. The baby made only soft gurgling sounds of contentment, her small pudgy arms waving in the air.

They were ready. He gave the signal to Afzhal who had been waiting for him. The Supreme Commander raised his hands upwards in supplication.

Then he began his slow chanting.

_"O Holy of Holy Goddesses, Thou who art bountiful in thy measures to our people, hear us now as we declare our sacred obedience to Thee! Bless this child, for unto Thee we present our bounty… Bless us…bless us…bless us…"_

And as he chanted the floor started moving up.

_"Bless O Holy of Holy Goddesses, our new Queen, dedicated to you as your embodiment, to grace forever your image, to serve our people and glorify you in this, our sacred veneration to you…"_

Up, up, up until the roof gave way and they stood in bright light. Kephtah looked at his sister-in-law who was wringing her hands together, her lips moving in silent supplication. He stood next to her, behind Queen Khaira and the dogs. Fervently he prayed that even in these last moments of doom for his little niece, there would be deliverance from an untimely death.

The waterfall was behind them; the rushing water became the song that would accompany their sorrow. The valley was green, as ever green as Injasuti could look at this time of the year, the most beautiful season of all, the season of new life. Leaves sprayed with mist glistened in the late afternoon sunlight. One would never suspect that this part of the forest, with its waterfall, the lush green leaves, ferns and fronds, the river that snaked away from the small lake on which the platform was situated, this unsurpassed beauty would be witness to a child dying by the hand of its queen.  

  ****

  _"O People of Injasuti!"_

Thus began Afzhal as he addressed the crowd and swept them up in the passion of the moment. They continued their low humming, a poignant song that merged with the falling water behind the platform. Now they could all see the statue of their Venerable Goddess Tanith, the fire bowl in her arms. Those who stood closest along the embankment of the river could see the baby lying still on the stand just behind the statue.

Afzhal's voice rose higher and higher, strident and impassioned in his convocation.

 _"We mourn the death of Toreth who has served Injasuti with dignity and decorum."_  

Afzhal swept his arm in the direction of Khaira who stood unmoving behind the dagger stand, looking straight ahead.

_"This is our new Queen of the Injasuti! Our Goddess has favoured us with an Offering today! Queen Khaira of Injasuti will conduct the Holy Offering. As it has been in ages past, so let it be done now!"_

The humming deepened into melodious tones. Kephtah couldn't look at the woman next to him. What he felt in his heart, the pain of a thousand lances, was multiplied a million times more in her. He knew that the tears she shed did not run down her cheeks, but turned inwards and coated her heart.

 _"This is our Ancient Law_ ," continued Afzhal, arms raised above his head, _"and this law we must keep to the end of time… It has been so decreed by our Venerable Goddess Tanith, the mirror of Etbaal and Eshmoun. Therefore, people of Injasuti, we praise  them by honouring them with a girl child, our generous gift of worship."_

Kephtah closed his eyes. How many times had he stood here, next to the distraught mother while her child was sacrificed to the gods? How many times did he stun the mother? How many times before did he have no feelings?  Where were the people of this new Queen brought to them from far lands?

Afzhal turned to Khaira.

"Now, Queen Khaira!"

Khaira stepped forward as if a silent switch had been activated in her head. Carefully, she lifted the dagger from its dark velvet bed and let it lie on her palm first, the other hand stroking the blade. The humming stopped. The crowd held its breath as Khaira lifted the dagger higher, the knife pointing downwards. She stepped forward until she stood in front of the baby.

Kephtah had stopped breathing too as he kept his eyes riveted on the baby who was blissfully unaware of her fate. She gurgled and smiled, her little arms waving in the air. From deep inside him came the anguished entreaty to God for intervention. From the corner of his eye he watched Khaira's movements. His heart burned deeply. He wanted to rush forward and whisk little Irezah away.

Queen Khaira clasped the dagger with both hands. The baby smiled at her, her little hands reaching for the knife edge that glinted in the sunlight.

She was not affected by the baby's smile. Her eyes were glued to the point of the baby's chest where she would drive the blade through her tender body.

_"Hear us now, O Immortal Goddess Tanith, as we consecrate this child to thee… Accept her into your loving arms to be honoured forever as sacrifice…!"_

And in his heart Kephtah prayed silently… 'O God of all the ages…hear my crying…give ear unto my prayer…'

Khaira looked up at the crowds again, hands high above her head where she held fast on to the dagger. Very slowly she began to lower the blade…

Down…down…

 

* 

END CHAPTER 8

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

 

 

Seven of Nine had given him the coordinates of the point of the force field closest to where the waterfall of Injasuti was located. From there it would be a distance of fifty five metres of uneven slopes to the river's banks. Fifty five metres but a lot more than that in actual navigating because of the rough terrain. While the force field covered the size of almost three cities, Chakotay thought it strange that the point where he was standing was closest to the actual waterfall. Already he could see people congregating wherever they could find even footholds. More were moving closer. On the far side they looked to him like statues, living monoliths waiting for something to happen.

"Be warned that the force field generates a charge more lethal than any we have encountered before, or than we expected," Seven of Nine had informed him. "I've located the area closest to the waterfall, and from there it is a distance of fifty five metres to the ceremonial platform in front of the fall."

"Thank you, Seven. Anything else I should know?"

"No more than what Lieutenants Torres and Kiridis have already told you." There was a pause. Then,

"Commander…"

"Yes, what is it, Seven?"

"On your command, Harry Kim and I will transport those you wish to get out of harm's way."

"That will be Captain Janeway."

"I do not mean the captain, Commander."

"Understood. There will be a baby and its mother to transport. Get them away first, but only on my signal, okay? We don't know the extent of the Supreme Commander's power. He might be trying something. Torres, Kiridis and a unit of warriors with their centurion are with me and will deal with any immediate danger. Chakotay out."

If they transported the baby and her mother to safety and left Kathryn, the madman could then hold her hostage. Similarly, if they transported Kathryn first, the baby would still be in grave danger. He'd have to cut it very fine, risk it to the very edge. With his cohorts in close pursuit, the baby's safety was paramount. He had no idea what state he'd find Kathryn in. Knowing instinctively that she'd try to fight the sacrifice every inch of the way, there'd be no knowing what the Supreme Commander would do to her, or had done already to get her to comply.

Kathryn remained his responsibility. Seven and Tuvok had been unable to hail Kathryn or to lock on to her commbadge. Not only did the force field scramble the frequency, it was quite possible that Kathryn's commbadge had either been destroyed or recalibrated to frequencies of the Almazin system. Seven had confirmed that disabling the force field from Voyager's computers would take more than the five hours to accomplish successfully.

For now his way was going to be the only way.

Torres, Kiridis and the warriors of the Injasuti High Command stood about five metres away from him, ready to infiltrate once he had succeeded in performing a miracle. It was going to be a miracle, he thought sombrely. He had been primed by B'Elanna and Marcus as to exactly what the nature of his role was to be.

_"Faith and fealty, Chakotay. It's that or we lose the captain…"_

Kathryn was in danger, not of her life right at the moment but of being swept into the ways of the Injasuti forever. One wrong move from him or his away team could endanger her life. She might never return to them, but could be lost to them forever.

He knew the hazards of the force field. A stick thrown against it had created several sparks after which the stick burst into flames. On the ground were signs that there had been attempts made to either get in or out. A faint layer of ash seeped into the soil just in front of him. He dared not touch it with his bare hands, yet, according to the ancient writings, it was what he had to do.

Chakotay glanced back to see the contingent of Voyager officers and Injasuti soldiers. Kiridis raised a hand; Torres followed his example. Chakotay nodded, then turned to face the unseen wall. He had not been given much time to mull over how to start breaching the wall. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes and stretched out his hands, palms up.

 

_O Spirit of my People, guide me now…_

Thoughts of Kathryn assailed him, of a baby who was facing death, of a young mother who would mourn the passing of a child; thoughts of his life aboard Voyager, a life in which he saw himself as the other half of Kathryn. He saw Kathryn holding a child with eyes like his own. Kathryn sitting close to him on his couch, her head resting against his shoulder. Kathryn busy with a PADD, then smiling as she glanced up to see him looking at her. Kathryn who once said she'd like to visit Dorvan…

He thought of his own people on Dorvan. He thought of the destruction of his homeworld and of all who died there in the name of freedom. He thought how he had never wanted to walk the ways of his father, of being a contrary, of the regret that ate constantly at him that he had never been able to say goodbye to them all, especially his mother.

He remembered the last time he had seen his mother. Once again he had refused to see or speak with his father and she had mediated between them. The old sting of tears as he recalled her words to him that day when she had traveled with his sister all the way to the Andracin System where his ship had rendezvoused for three weeks, exhausted her. She had looked suddenly much older than he had remembered her. She was so small that he could pass his arm comfortably over her head without touching her. His mother, who had been so strong, so incredibly strong.

Chakotay remembered her tears. He could even feel the strangely soft coarseness of her sun dried cheeks, see the trembling hands that trembled not because of her age but, he knew, anxiety that he not be angry at her for traveling from Dorvan to speak with him.

"You are like him, my son. So much like him that my heart aches because you do not acknowledge your ties."

"I left those ways, Mama. A long time ago."

"Those ways have not left you, my son. They have never left you. They will be a part of you wherever you lie down to rest your weary head."

He had relented a little.

"What does he want?"

"That you love him, Chakotay. He believes that he has transgressed, that the spirits punish him, that you do not love him enough to forgive him for forcing his ways on you..."

He had closed his eyes then and pulled his mother into his embrace. Later his sister had joined in hugging him. When he held them away from him, the sting in his eyes had sharpened, his resolve suddenly strong. He realised in those moments how he had missed Kolopak.

"I will have leave in six months' time, Mama. Tell Father that I shall come to Dorvan and we can worship in the _Habak_ together…"

Chakotay could see the delight that transformed his mother's face, the tears in his sister's eyes. His heart had been hard, as hard as a rock, but that day the blood seeped from that rock and turned into tears of joy. His mother and sister had left in great spirits, happy that he was to return home and reclaim his place as a son of Dorvan. He had been relieved beyond measure that the anger he once held against his father was gone.

He never saw his mother and his sister again, nor his father. He never saw any of his family or those people whom he once knew. He never had the opportunity to beg his father's forgiveness, to come home to Dorvan as a prodigal son and prostrate himself before Kolopak. He never said hello and he never said goodbye.

Dorvan died two months later, and with her, everything he had ever held dear.

_Un'aura amorosa_

A loving breath…A loving breath…

Chakotay raised his face to the heavens and cried out.

That was when the words came to him, words that wrung old and new melodies, painful chords and joyous celebration from him. A deep, aching sadness of things past, and the present which contained Kathryn, Kathryn who carried the burden of guilt and regret, Kathryn who turned to him for comfort in the deep of night. The old song came to him again, as old as the ages and as new, as thrilling as the realisation that Kathryn resided in every breath he took.

It had been after the first time he met his spirit guide when he poured out his heart in a stirring ode… Now he murmured the ode, woven into it his present urgency to save Kathryn, the feelings that suddenly, remarkably, exploded into the open.

 

  _O living spirit, I call upon you in my hour of need_

_Fleet of foot across the icy plains I see you pause and turn_

_Your eyes are glowing coals that blaze and breathe like embers and light the dark_

_They give me hope; they lead me on righteous paths and caution me not to stray_

_My ways were wicked once_

_Did I not once hate him who gave me life and name?_

_Did I not hate all who destroyed my kin?_

_Did I not seek to avenge those who killed without mercy?_

_All I have lost, is lost forever,_

_that which I have lost has left my heart in darkness_

_Left a restless, angry warrior in its wake that none could ever tame_

_Until one of purest heart touched my own_

_She is my living breath_

_that fills my waking and my sleeping moments for all time._

_My angry warrior's heart overflows with joy_

_it pleases me that I can see her, touch her cheek, feel her always near me_

_O living spirit! Soft your coat that conceals your quivering power_

_yet as you stand, poised to spring forward across the plains_

_and sometimes turn to look at me_

_Spirit! See me now, conceal not yourself from me!_

_My love, my all is caught within these walls where none shall touch_

_Show me the way and let me show my everlasting fealty_

_for love…love…love…transcends the impossible,_

_moves mountains as if they never existed,_

_breaks down walls, eradicates barriers_

_Let not this barrier annihilate me!_

_For my love is pure and my heart made whole by her_

_See my hands as they move to touch the untouchable…_

They stood watching Chakotay - Torres, Kiridis, the warriors and their centurion. The Injasuti centurion gazed in awe at the red-uniformed star traveler who was going to breach the wall of Injasuti. Throughout the ages, not a single man or woman or visitor from other worlds had succeeded in breaking through for always, those inside were under the protection of the Procurator. Where was that being now? Would he counter what the warrior was going to attempt? Gaius Aurelius Scaevola prayed to Diana and Jupiter that Commander Chakotay would succeed where thousands of others before him had failed.

Chakotay's face was raised to the sky. B'Elanna thought he was communicating with the sky spirits he’d once told her about. He stood perfectly still, although for one moment his upper body swayed. His hands were raised above his head as if he beseeched the very spirits to descend and touch him. She could sense from those standing next to her that they were holding their breaths. Someone gasped. A glance sideways revealed it was Marcus Kiridis. He looked pinched, nervous. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something snide such as, was his faith deserting him if he was doubtful of Chakotay succeeding. Then she saw the beads of perspiration on his brow and realised that he too, seemed to be silently praying. B'Elanna jabbed him gently in the ribs and gave him a reassuring nod. His relief as he acknowledged her comfort was short-lived, however, when Chakotay emitted an anguished cry.

"He's going to touch it," Marcus whispered. "God, I can't bear to watch…"

"You're Starfleet, Kiridis. Dig deep into yourself for discipline."

"Trying."

She realised that he was not used to away missions to strange planets and even stranger events. She had to admit that her heart was thumping like mad. They had no idea what Chakotay was murmuring, but his lips were moving as if in deep meditation.

Now his arms, at first raised heavenwards, lowered in front of him, reaching towards the unseen wall, his palms up.

Chakotay took one step forward to touch the force field.

"Now we shall know," whispered Senator Mendakhan.

 

 ****

 

"My life, my all…for her," cried Chakotay as he saw in his mind's eye the fleet-of-foot she-wolf pause and spear him with her blazing eyes.

There was a message in those flashing embers that seemed to resonate from deep inside her, that told him it was time to pass through the fire, that urged him to press on. Those eyes told him that the greatest test of his life was at hand. Those eyes spoke to him:

_"Fear not, Great Warrior, of  mighty heart and loyalty. Cast out all dread when your blood-soaked hands shall pass through the unseen wall. For that which cannot be seen will sure destroy that which cannot be touched…"_

A sharp, sharp pain lanced Chakotay as his heart swelled and hammered against his ribcage.

Now…

White as lightning came the explosion inside his head, Kathryn's laughing image left in the wake of the brightness. He couldn't breathe.

She waited on the other side.

_O living spirit! Kathryn…!"_

A slight tingle against his palms told him he was millimetres away. The tingling turned to a sting, painful, yet bearable.

Only then did Chakotay finally open his eyes, the sunlight almost intrusive.

He murmured one word, "Kathryn."

Just a slight tingling in his body as he walked through. Like an animal dying, the force field lost all life.

There was no wall.

There was no force field.

Yet Chakotay's palms bled as if they had been pricked by slivers of electrical energy. There was no time to think, no time to reflect. He had to get to Kathryn fast. Already the humming chorus had started. His heart was racing, the bleeding palms pushed to the back of his mind.

 Chakotay turned to look at the others. He nodded. Only then did they follow as he moved swiftly through the verdant forest, sliding down the embankment. He hit his commbadge.

"Chakotay to Janeway. Chakotay to Janeway."

There was no response, only static. He scurried over rocks, mossy underfoot surfaces, slid down a sharp incline, past people who stood still, unmoving. He could hear the river, had heard it as a distant echo earlier, the sound merging with the humming of the people.

All he wanted to do was reach Kathryn.

"Kathryn!" he screamed as he saw the water for the first time. A strong stream, he realised as he dashed along the bank upstream to the source of the waterfall. The rushing was thunderous, deafening.

"Kathryn!" he shouted again. "Kathryn!!"

Even above the din of the plunging water, Chakotay could hear the others behind him. His heart was pounding, his chest tight and wheezing from the exertion of scrambling downwards. He hardly noticed the blood on his hands, had forgotten the stinging impact of touching the force field. An overhanging branch whipped him across the face. He cried out, more from impatience than any pain. Another whipping across the face as he kept forgetting to use his hands to move branches out of the way. Once he slid down into a shallow gully. He swore under his breath as he twisted his ankle.

Then Chakotay heard a man's voice, loud and strident as it echoed in the valley, above the sound of the water.

_"It has been so decreed by our Venerable Goddess Tanith, the mirror of Etbaal and Eshmoun. Therefore, people of Injasuti, we praise  them by honouring them with a girl child, our generous gift of worship."_

"O spirits!" Chakotay cried out as he suddenly, quite unexpectedly stumbled into a very large clearing. Blinking, he saw a small lake formed by the waterfall, and in the centre, in front of the magnificent long drop of pure foaming force was a large square platform. A statue in the foreground with arms supporting a bowl with fire in it was that of the Goddess Tanith. Behind it was a small platform with the baby. Then his heart stopped, squeezed painfully as he recognised Kathryn standing behind this small stand, about to reach for something.

He felt someone bump into him from behind.

"I can order a transport, Commander," he heard Torres's voice.

"Too late, Torres."

He wasted no time as he plunged into the cold water. He was only about ten metres away as he started swimming in long, strong strokes until he reached the edge of the platform.

Then he heard again the man's voice.

"Now, Queen Khaira!"

"No! Kathryn!" Chakotay shouted as he hoisted himself up and onto the platform.

He noted absently that his palms were bleeding again as he took two giant strides in Kathryn's direction stopping in front of her.

"Kathryn! Kathryn! Kathryn!"

Time and space merged as Chakotay cried out Kathryn's name.

One moment in time that stretched and expanded, in which the drapes of a curtain were drawn slowly, all else fading into the background. He had time to see Kathryn standing with a ceremonial dagger clasped with both hands above her head. He could see how the dagger was lowering very slowly. He knew other actions occurring at exactly the same instant he stood before Kathryn, reaching to clasp her shoulders. Actions like the mother reaching for her baby. He saw the demon Supreme Commander going down, the snarling dogs running he knew not where. All in the same few terrifying seconds his eyes were on Kathryn.

Forever afterwards, Chakotay would wonder how he could stand there facing the terrifying killing of a baby, of seeing the dagger slowly lowering and still notice Kathryn Janeway's beauty. Her bejewelled head dress was so intricately balanced on her head, yet it seemed to blend as an inseparable part of her face. Down the edge of the band streamed strings of beads of almost white gold. Her dress was gold and long, caught at the waist, the neckline a royal blue pattern that reminded him of the dress of Ancient Greece. Her hands were painted with intricate designs from ages past, further adorned by jewel encrusted bangles.

But it was Kathryn's face.

Unutterably beautiful, her own natural beauty enhanced a thousand times by the facial paints. Around him other things were happening and when the sound of it finally penetrated his consciousness, it brought him back with great force to the present. The expanded moment returned to real time.

Kathryn he could see, was in a trance.

"Kathryn! Kathryn!"

Did she hear his voice? he wondered in agonizing terror, for the point of the dagger stopped just above the baby's chest. He gave a huge sigh of relief as he released the dagger from her and flung it down. Whoever picked it up hurled it away immediately. Whoever took the baby was probably its mother. He had no recollection of hitting his commbadge and ordering Seven of Nine to transport mother and child off the platform. The next moment the baby and mother disappeared. He heard dogs barking fiercely, but not at him.

Chakotay grabbed Kathryn's arms and pulled her closer. He suppressed his shock at the glazed look in her eyes. She remained unfocused. His hands left her arms and cupped her cheeks. His palms were wet and he  realised dazedly that blood had begun to seep from them again. He ignored it because there was no pain.

"Kathryn," he cried out desperately, "listen to me, please. Hear my voice as I call your name. Listen to my voice."

Her gaze on him remained unfocused. He wanted to die because she couldn't recognise him.

He shook her hard. "Look at me! Look at me!" There was still no recognition. "Kathryn, listen to me, please! I cannot breathe without you, you understand that? I'm here with you. You’re _my_ queen. Your name is Kathryn…Kathryn…Kathryn…"

Chakotay stilled, praying that his voice punctured her trance. Slowly her eyes began to focus. As she looked at him, recognition began to dawn. He waited.

"O spirits, Kathryn…"

"Chakotay…?"

"Yes, it's me…" he replied, almost sobbing with relief.

Tears pooled in her eyes. Kathryn turned to look at the stand where the child had been lying. There was no baby. Then she saw Chakotay's hands, the blood on them. She turned up her own palms and saw blood on her hands.

Her eyes widened alarmingly.

"Chakotay…? O my God, Chakotay! What have I done!?"

"Kathryn, no, it's…"

But Kathryn's eyes rolled in their sockets. When she collapsed, he caught her up in his arms, the head dress falling to the ground. She felt feverish, but his heart sang, for she was safe.

He looked around him.

He could make out the rest of the events that were playing out on the platform. Someone, a young man with polished upper torso had picked up the dagger and hurled it, its flight creating a whistling sound as it traveled through the air and hit the man standing at the edge of the platform -  the owner of the voice that urged Kathryn to stab the child. It hit the Supreme Commander in the chest, the force of it causing him to sag to his knees and topple over.

The dogs went for the fallen man. The crowds Chakotay had seen only as blurry figures in passing, began their chanting again as the dogs tore the man apart. Centurion Gaius Aurelius Scaevola and his unit were busy creating order among the crowds. Only when the young Injasuti guard whistled did the dogs rear up and back away reluctantly, until they stood again behind Chakotay who held the unconscious Kathryn in his arms.

"Commander, everything okay?" asked Torres who hit her commbadge at the same time. She was also dripping wet.

"Yes. Prepare to have us transported to sickbay. Can't reach for my commbadge. You and Kiridis stay here and find out what you can.."

"Acknowledged."

 

 ***

Seconds later, Kathryn was lying on the biobed in sickbay, the mother and her baby on the adjacent bed.  The EMH's cortical scanner was whirring as he examined Kathryn. Her eyelashes appeared extra long, creating shadowy verandas on her upper cheeks. Even asleep, he was awed at her beauty.

"Her trance was painful," declared the doctor. "The captain sustained several intensive electrical charges. She must have fought it very hard, Commander."

"I know, Doctor. Kathryn would never agree to killing anyone, let alone an innocent baby. She believes she has killed the child…"

The EMH paused. "Commander, you require treatment."

"I'm the least of your concerns right now, Doctor. See to them," he hissed as pain began to settle in his twisted ankle.

Chakotay ambled slowly to the other bed. He tried to smile but his face felt stiff. The baby, he realised, must have been sedated too. The young woman nodded, her eyes warm with gratitude as she hugged her sleeping baby closer to her. He tried to touch the child's hair but his arms felt stiff. His chest was tight and he was having trouble breathing.

"Our doctor here will get your little one better."

"Thank you…thank you…" She paused, then spoke again. "Your…queen…she is innocent…"

"I know," he replied slowly, for his tongue felt thick. He was slurring his words. With a nod, Chakotay returned to the biobed where Kathryn lay.

She looked exhausted, he thought.

The EMH was quick with his examination.

"Total exhaustion from the pain-induced trance, Commander. I've sedated her so she will sleep until she wakes up naturally. Commander, I must commend what you've done for the Captain, for Injasuti. I - "

Chakotay stared at the doctor and wondered if they would ever know how much it cost him to walk through the force field. Reaction was setting in; he was still wet from the swim through the river.

"Well, I believe she would have done the same for me, Doctor. Right now, I have to get into dry clothes."

Chakotay knew his answer sounded boorish, impatient, but he had to get away. A shivering which he couldn't shake off had begun to take hold of him. He had to get out of sickbay before the doctor noticed his gait, the slurring, his breathlessness. As long as the EMH focused all his attention on Kathryn, he wouldn't notice anyway.

Heading for his quarters, he eventually found himself in front of his cabin. He fingers trembled as he keyed in his codes.

When Chakotay stepped inside, he gave a single cry, then clutched his chest before he sank to the floor.

 

**********

END CHAPTER NINE

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un'aura amorosa - a loving breath - is the title of an aria from Mozart's opera "Cosi fan Tutte" - Please, if you like, youtube Lawrence Brownlee singing this fabulous aria.


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

 

CHAPTER TEN

 After Chakotay and Captain Janeway beamed up to Voyager, B'Elanna, Kiridis and the centurion Scaevola surveyed the platform. B'Elanna had clambered up just in time to see a golden torsoed young man hurl a dagger about twelve metres. A cry was heard and then she saw the victim slump slowly to his knees before toppling over. The dogs ran towards the man - the owner of the keening voice of earlier - and began tearing him apart.

In the next moment, the young mother dashed forward to scoop the baby from the platform. B'Elanna  heard Chakotay's voice ordering a transport of mother and child. They dematerialised in a blue shimmer. The young Egyptian looking man called the dogs back. They growled fiercely but obeyed him, walking reluctantly back to their handler.

Scaevola ordered his men to search the cave. Three men remained to dispose of the body of Afzhal Serinius. The rest braved the waterfall as they swam through it and disappeared at the back of the curtain of water.

B'Elanna approached the young man. The dogs started to growl.

"Nemo, Bligh, stop."

"Nemo? Bligh?"

"Queen Khaira gave them the names," the young man said in an imperious tone.

"Then you should know that they were fictional names of famous literary captains."

"I thought Queen Khaira - "

"Her name is Captain Kathryn Janeway."

"Captain Janeway would not name them randomly." The young man graced them with a tight smile. B'Elanna realized that Scaevola and the soldiers had made no attempt to apprehend him for killing the Supreme Commander.

"What is your name?" B'Elanna asked him, thinking that all of Injasuti would probably prostrate themselves before him for disposing of the enemy.

"My name is Kephtah."

"I'm B'Elanna Torres and my fellow officer here is Marcus Kiridis."

"Your name is Egyptian," said Kiridis.

"I am Egyptian in origin," said the young man, his voice tinged with pride. "Please, tell me, are the baby and mother safe?" he asked.

Kiridis smiled. "They are safe on our vessel."

"As soon as our doctor has examined them and declared them fit to return, they will be returned safely to Injasuti," said B'Elanna.

"Thank God…"

Kiridis frowned. "God? You do not worship many deities like the rest of the Injasuti?"

"There are many of us who worship the One God. Our historical records indicate that there were many brought here in the great vessel who worshipped a One God. They were Hebrews who fled along with my people…"

"Well, they'll be safe."

"My brother will be filled with joy."

"Your brother?"

"The father of the little girl. Her name is Irezah."

Before B'Elanna could respond, the platform began to move down. She and Marcus looked at Kephtah in surprise, but his approving nod settled them

"Kephtah, there is much we need to learn. For instance, your former Queen? What happened to her?"

"Our Queen died, we believe by the hand of Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius. Please… Once we are down in the depth of the cavern, B'Elanna Torres and Marcus Kiridis, I will explain everything. I will take you to the control room as well. Your clothes are still wet. It is warmer down there; Abry and Shabgah will see to it that you get dry. "

"Thank you, Kephtah."

 ******  

 B'Elanna, Kiridis and Scaevola found themselves in the large cavern. Scaevola and some of his soldiers had swum through the waterfall and made their way down from the ground level cave opening. They hadn't bothered drying out, while B'Elanna and Kiridis were simply marched through a man-sized drier, handled by a very odd young couple who only smiled at them. By the time they came out on the other side of it, they were dry. B'Elanna grinned wickedly at Kiridis. His hair was even wilder than usual. Marcus ran his fingers through his hair, creating more disorder.

"Kiridis, you had better see the doctor who can sort - "

"There's nothing wrong with me, B'Elanna Torres."

This time she laughed out loud and slapped his back hard.

"Yeah…right. Until you meet someone for whom you'll want to make a few changes…"

"That will never happen."

"Good for you."

Immediately after that, Kephtah, with the dogs scampering after him, took them to the control room. Unlike the rest of the cavern and tunnels they walked through, the control room had a modern, sophisticated lighting system and along the walls were computers.

"Lieutenant," Scaevola started, "can you determine from here what manner of control Afzhal Serinius had over Injasuti?"

"Definitely," she replied, already heading towards what looked like the main array of panels and monitors. "You will know shortly." She turned to look at Marcus and smiled grimly at him. "That couple, Abry and Shabgah, get them to take you to where Captain Janeway was held. Find out as much as you can. Chakotay will murder you if you come back empty-handed."

"I never - "

"Kiridis, it's a joke. Now, go…"

Marcus turned on his heel. Abry and Shabgah were waiting for them just outside the control room and when he nodded to them, they gestured with their hands for him to follow them. The rest of Scaevola's unit also followed, departing to inspect the other areas inside the Place of the Weeping Water. Scaevola remained with her.

"This shouldn't be too difficult," B'Elanna muttered under her breath as she started searching for data.

"You look different…" Scaevola said. He was standing in front of another panel, working the keys.

"I am Klingon…actually half Klingon, half human…"

"But from the same world as our ancestors?"

"Not really. My homeworld is Q'nos, although I did train on the world of your…ancestors. I married a human. He is our ship's chief navigation officer."

"I would like to see your ship…"

"Don't worry. Once our captain and Commander Chakotay have straightened everything out, you probably will."

Scaevola's attractive face lit up. "Thank you. Thank you too, for ending this…"

"This may not be over yet," B'Elanna responded as she followed her reply with an "Aha!"

"You found something?"

She didn't reply, instead, she flipped her tricorder open and began downloading information onto it. Then she glanced quickly at Scaevola before continuing. "It seems your Supreme Commander was more evil than you thought," she started. "For one thing, he was in direct communication with the Procurator…" B'Elanna frowned. "What's this…?" she asked, more to herself than directing her question to Scaevola. A series of graphemes flashed on the screen…

 Scaevola came over to her, his eyes scanning the text.

" _On condition no one is injured during the ceremony, I shall grant you the power_ …"

"Kahless! He was never supposed to kill the babies!"

"And all those Supreme Commanders before him," Scaevola added, outrage clear in his voice.

"And here is the proof that they kept the Procurator in the dark…"

"By claiming war with the Injasuti High Command. Although, Lieutenant Torres, the practice has been in use for thousands of years here, there must have been a time that it could have been stopped and replaced by something else."

"And the something else is right here…all these years…"

"Noted. High Command must be informed. Hundreds of babies have died needlessly…"

B'Elanna muttered again, then added, "You can also tell your superiors that Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius had poison planted on the Osiris before the ship left Injasuti orbit; it was released by remote control from this room."

"Then he also killed Queen Toreth."

"No doubt about that."

"She must have refused the last sacrifice, Lieutenant Torres. He had no more use of her. And our Procurator brought your captain here as replacement."

"A genetic match."

"Come, B'Elanna Torres. There is much to report, much to be done still."

The two of them then proceeded to create a force field at the entrance to the room. "Here," she told Scaevola," use this disc to deactivate the force field when you need to enter here."

"Thank you. I am certain Emperor Scipio will want to address the Procurator. Injasuti no longer has need of him."

"Good. Now, let's get out of here…"

  ***

 "She had no immediate family," said Livia Gaiden to B'Elanna Torres. "Perhaps the Emperor will conduct a ceremony…"

"There is a son," said Kephtah. "He is still very small. He is cared for in the Great City. No one knows to whom Afzhal Serinius gave the child…"

"We'll find him. What then?" Torres said.

Livia Gaiden stared at the woman before her. She had ridges on her forehead and scowled with every word she spoke. Queen Toreth's son was taken by the Emperor who had decided what was to become of him. That was the law. Her heart bled for her late Queen and the little boy whom no one had seen. Livia had only seen the birth, and after that Afzhal had taken the baby with its birth string still attached and given it to one of his henchmen to send into the city. He had then assured them that the boy was well cared for.

"Thank you, B'Elanna Torres. Queen Toreth had a last request, as I understand from her handmaiden."

"What is that?"

"That Queen Khaira - "

"Her name is Captain Kathryn Janeway."

"I apologise, Lieutenant Torres. Toreth's request was that Kathryn Janeway personally tell the little boy how much his mother cared for him."

"I'm sure that will be on the list of things Captain Janeway will certainly attend to," B'Elanna said.

"Thank you. I am glad that baby Irezah could be saved. My cousin was not so lucky…"

"Your cousin?"

"Laurana was on the ship that died…"

"I am sorry. The bodies have been transported to the Great City's mortuaries. I understand that a memorial service will be held for them."

Livia felt her spirits lift. It had been an extra-ordinary day. Afzhal Serinius, a man she’d never trusted and always viewed with suspicion, was dead, killed by Kephtah and the queen's dogs. Now she could live her life in peace.

"Livia…"

It was Marcus Kiridis who spoke.

"Yes, sir?"

"Please, call me Marcus. You must know much about life in the Palace. I would like to hear more from you…"

Livia nodded solemnly. She had much to tell. She felt a little in awe of Lieutenant Torres, but Lieutenant Kiridis exuded much kindness.

"We don't have much time, Kiridis. Let me check on further orders from the captain. She might be awake…"

 ***

When Kathryn opened her eyes slowly, she was overcome by a feeling of intense sadness. She lay for a few moments trying to remember her last waking moments.

She had been staring into the concerned eyes of her first officer, on a platform in front of a waterfall, hearing him cry out her name, looking at her hands. There was blood on her hands. Her eyes had been drawn instantly to the platform in front of her, to the smiling baby, the dagger.

Blood on her hands. A dead baby. A dagger. The dagger held in her hands, bearing down on the chest of the child.

She screamed.

"No! No… Please, God, no!"

"Captain!"

The EMH moved swiftly to her side. "What is it, Captain?" he asked.

Her voice was caught on a heavy sob. Memories flooded her conscious. Of arguing with Afzhal Serinius, telling him she could never kill anyone. Of resolutely maintaining that she could never kill a baby. A baby who reached for her with pudgy hands, who smiled and cooed at her. Her distress  intensified, and air squeezed from her lungs. Her eyes rolled. The Doctor shook her gently.  

"Captain Janeway! Your Highness…"

Another voice, a woman's voice. Kathryn opened her eyes, managed to swallow the sob that escaped.  

"Doctor?"

"Tell me, what is the matter, Captain?" the Doctor asked, the hypospray ready in his hand.

"I killed a baby… I killed a baby!"

"No, Captain. You didn't kill anyone."

"You are lying! There was blood on my hands!I murdered a child!"

She screamed again. The next moment, the hiss of the hypospray hit her neck. The effect was instant. She lay awake, aware, but no longer wanting to scream. The screams, though, were in her head. She closed her eyes, tried to drown out the sounds of the people, the wailing of the water and their sad song, but it was as if they became louder and louder. Giving a moan, she turned her head away from the hands that tried to lift her up. "No…"

"Captain, you did not kill anyone," the Doctor said in a soothing voice.

The doctor helped her into a sitting position. The pain was gone, but another, deeper, more intense feeling of dismay and remorse was taking hold of her. She thought it would remain in her heart and mind to remind her forever of what she had done.

"She's not dead? I didn't murder her?" she asked.

The doctor smiled at her. How could he smile when the world had turned light into dark?

"Look," he commanded gently and turned her face in the direction of the other bed. Sitting with her feet hanging over the side, a baby in her arms, was the young mother of the Injasuti cavern. Kathryn blinked slowly, closed her eyes again as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. It must be a vision, she thought. A vision come to haunt me. She opened her eyes. They were still there - mother and baby. A baby she thought she had killed.

Slowly, Kathryn heaved herself off the biobed. She stumbled as the robe's length caught under her foot. When she reached the young woman and baby, she stopped, her chest hurting from the tension of holding her breath. With trembling fingers, she touched the child's head. The little girl opened her eyes, eyes that no longer looked sedated, but calm and alert. Kathryn felt her eyes fill with tears.

"How…?" she began, frowning.

"Your warrior brought down the unseen wall, Captain Janeway," the young woman said shyly. Kathryn realised it was this voice she’d heard the moment she had opened her eyes.

"Chakotay?"

"I do not know his name, but he is a warrior. He saved us. He saved Injasuti."

"I did not kill this child?" Kathryn asked, still wrenched by the belief that she had driven a dagger through the child's body.

"Your warrior Chakotay brought you out of your pain, Captain Janeway. He did so just in time. He took the dagger from you and flung it to the ground," said the young mother.

Kathryn thought how she had prayed for intervention, for Chakotay to come, indeed, to save her. She looked down at her dress, saw traces of blood on it. She didn't imagine the blood on her hands then.

"There was blood on his hands when he saved you. From the unseen wall."

Kathryn nodded sombrely. Chakotay had performed a miracle. Voyager had performed a miracle. How had he deactivated the force field?

"What is your name?"

"My name is Isabella, Your Highness…"

Kathryn smiled as the title slipped from Isabella. She shook her head. "No, Isabella, I am Captain Janeway, commander of this starship, okay?"

Isabella nodded. "And this," she began, caressing her child's cheek, "is Irezah."

Irezah looked up at Kathryn, giving her a big smile. Kathryn closed her eyes and thought, _I almost killed this child…_

"I thank you and your warrior for saving little Irezah," said Isabella. "I despaired that I would forever mourn her in the Tophet and that my tears would become one with the weeping of the waters of Injasuti…"

Just then, Kathryn's commbadge beeped.

"Torres to Janeway…"

"Janeway here. Report, B'Elanna."

"Captain, we're glad you're awake. The man called Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius is dead."

Relief flooded Kathryn as she kept her gaze on Isabella and Irezah. She did not wish the man dead, but in the circumstances, Injasuti was well rid of such scum.

"Thank you, B'Elanna. There's more?"

"Aye, Captain. We have a young man here, dressed like an ancient Egyptian prince, with an uh…magnificent bronzed torso. His name is Kephtah. He killed this Serinius."

"How?"

"Threw a dagger all of twelve metres straight into the heart of the Supreme Commander. Killed him instantly. Then the dogs ripped the fiend to pieces."

Kathryn shuddered at B'Elanna's graphic account of the death of a fiend.

"I will be giving a full report on what Lieutenant Kiridis and I discovered, Captain. It's important that you know before you and Commander Chakotay leave to speak with the Emperor. Centurion Scaevola is reporting to his superiors as we speak. Kiridis and I are at the palace at the moment, speaking to a Livia Gaiden. Do you know her?"

"Yes. She's the palace housekeeper."

"She's very concerned about you, Captain. Perhaps you could meet with her again…"

"Thank you, B'Elanna. I will be communicating with the Injasuti High Command as soon as I can get into uniform. Janeway out."

"Captain," the EMH started as he approached them. "This young lady and her pretty little girl have been examined. They are both in good health and ready to be discharged."

"Good." Kathryn looked at Isabella.

"My husband is waiting for me, Captain. My husband and Kephtah, his brother."

"Kephtah is related to you?" Kathryn asked, appalled and surprised.

"He instructed me not to say anything, for even Afzhal Serinius did not know. Yes, Kephtah is my brother-in-law…"

Kathryn smiled. "Doctor, get Ensign Mulcahy to arrange to transport Isabella and her child to her home…"

"Thank you, Captain Janeway."

"There's still much I need to do before we leave this world. Right now I must find Chakotay…"

"I believe he went straight to his quarters. He refused treatment, Captain. Perhaps if you can get him here in sick bay so that I can look at his hands…"

Kathryn nodded, then hit her commbadge.

"Janeway to Chakotay…"

She waited a few seconds before repeating her hail; there was still no response.

"Computer, locate Commander Chakotay…"

"Commander Chakotay is in his quarters."

At that moment a crewman entered sick bay to accompany Isabella and Irezah to the transporter room. Kathryn kissed little Irezah goodbye, then touched Isabella's arm.

"Go well, Isabella. I will return to Injasuti as soon as I have finished here."

"Thank you again, Captain Janeway," said Isabella, less shy than she had been earlier.

Kathryn turned to the doctor. "I'll look in on Chakotay. He's probably sleeping."

"That may be so. He slept very little during the two days we traveled here. But I am concerned, Captain. He was limping when he left sick bay. His palms were probably burned from touching the force field. I understand that many people died trying to enter or leave the area covered by the unseen wall. He did a very dangerous thing…"

"Don't worry. I'll see he gets here."

 *

She went to her own quarters first to change into uniform. Her thoughts were on Chakotay, on arranging a meeting with the Injasuti High Command, on being Queen Khaira for two days, on a baby lying on a stone tablet waiting to be sacrificed to the Goddess Tanith, on the excruciating pain as Afzhal's palm hit her forehead. On seeing Chakotay again as he cried out her name and then, oblivion.

Kathryn dumped the golden garment in the recycler thinking she was well rid of it, then took a quick shower. Twenty minutes later, she was ready for duty as she stood in front of her mirror. A sandwich and coffee, such a far cry from the tasty olives, dates and succulent meats Hanim had given her, had to do for a late afternoon snack.

Smoothing her pants, she exited her quarters and headed for Chakotay's cabin. Hitting her commbadge again, she was met with a computer voice that assured her "Commander Chakotay is in his quarters."

She frowned when he didn't respond to her knocking. Taking a deep breath, she entered her command override keys. The doors slid open.

"Chakotay…"

Her feet bumped into him first, as she gasped. Just inside the doors, Chakotay lay face down on the floor.

"Oh, Chakotay…" she murmured as she turned his face, shocked when she noticed the bluish tinge. Turning his palm up, she noticed the blood still seeping from the pores of his skin. Her hand went to her commbadge. "Janeway to the Doctor…"

"What can I do for you, Captain?" the EHM responded.

"Medical emergency. Beam Commander Chakotay immediately to sick bay…"

By the time Kathryn arrived in the medical bay, Chakotay was on the biobed, being examined by the doctor. The dome was in place with a cortical stimulator secured against his forehead. Chakotay was breathing evenly now. Kathryn's heart was pounding. It had been a shock seeing him lying on the floor, not breathing.

"Status, doctor…"

"Commander Chakotay's heart stopped beating. You arrived just in time, Captain. As I understand, he had to disable the force field with his bare hands."

"Which accounted for the bleeding, I take it."

"Correct. But that's not all. He had a broken ankle. I fixed that - "

"That's not all, is it?"

"The intensity and physical and mental strain of deactivating the force field was too much for his heart, Captain. I don't know how it was possible for one man to do it, or the way that he did it. Lieutenant Torres reported that there was a slight displacement and some electrical discharge when the Commander simply walked through."

"Seven of Nine or Tuvok? Couldn't they have disabled it?"

"I'm left in the dark as to what exactly happened down there. What I do know is that Seven of Nine was pretty much told to discontinue the decryption for the deactivation sequencing."

"Why?"

"Once Commander Chakotay had done the job, the 'wall' was down permanently."

"Then there must have been something he did that only he could do?"

"Precisely. And the only one who can share with you the details of that, is the commander."

Kathryn nodded. "Thank you, Doctor."

She stroked Chakotay's cheek, her heart overflowing with love, with gratitude, with awe as she acknowledged his leadership during the time she had been down on Injasuti as a virtual prisoner. She remembered praying and constantly hoping that he'd come to her rescue. She knew that her crew would leave no stone unturned, but all her yearning had been that he come. She pictured his face, so full of concern so many times. Then trying to hold on to his memory when Serinius dazed her into compliance. Chakotay as she had last seen him, with his dimpled smile that always seemed to touch his eyes.    

Chakotay stirred. Seconds later he opened his eyes.

"Kathryn…"

"It's good to see you're awake, Commander. You gave me quite a scare."

"What happened…?"

"You collapsed in your quarters. When I found you, you must have just suffered a massive heart attack." She gave an involuntary sob thinking how timely her arrival in his quarters had been. She regretted wasting time going to her own quarters first to freshen up.

"Kathryn, what is it?"

"I was almost too late," she whispered, stroking his cheek.

"Then you saved me this time."

"Did you know you suffered a broken ankle?"

He remained silent for a few seconds. "I thought I felt something," he said at length. "Like I sprained it."

"You saved my life, Chakotay. I - "

"Saving you, Kathryn, was worth it. Worth it…" he slurred as he closed his eyes again and fell asleep.

"How long before he is ready for duty, Doctor?"

"I'll let him sleep a few hours. After that, Captain, only light duty. Shore leave could not have come at a better time."

Kathryn studied her sleeping first officer. He looked peaceful, his face relaxed. What happened down there? she wondered as she caressed his cheek. All she knew was that he’d simply walked through the force field, one which Seven of Nine, Tuvok and Harry Kim, her best officers on Voyager couldn't disable. Torres, Marcus Kiridis, Neelix and Chell were still on Injasuti. It was time to recall them. While Chakotay rested, she could prepare to contact the Emperor or his ministers.

While she was sick with concern for Chakotay, she was also proud of the away teams, of what Chakotay and Voyager achieved in getting to her in the real nick of time.

  **

 They were all seated at the oval table in her briefing room. The away teams had returned and with the rest of the senior officers, they had quietly filed into the room -  all but Chakotay who was still in sick bay. The EMH hadn't wanted to discharge him and had appointed Noah Lessing and Sam Wildman to watch over him. According to the doctor, Chakotay could do with the rest as he had major trauma to his heart. By the time it stopped beating, his heart had been reduced to a thready, weak muscle. Much had been done in the last two hours to repair the damage. Lessing and Wildman had been ordered to see that Chakotay remained chained to the biobed. He had become irate when he woke up again after Kathryn left, wanting to get up and walk out of sick bay, threatening to kill Lessing if that tall crewman tried to stop him. For some reason, Kathryn sensed that he wanted to prevent her meeting with senior staff.

Now they were seated around her. Neelix sat next to Kiridis, who had once again been invited to sit in on the proceedings. B'Elanna, Tom, Harry Kim, Seven, the EMH and Tuvok who sat on her left looked expectantly at her. Only Chakotay was missing.

 "Before I meet with the Injasuti High Command, I need to establish a few things first…"

"Captain, may I speak first?" asked Neelix.

"Granted."

"There are more than enough food reserves, and we are free to take as much as Voyager can carry, as well as seeds and seedlings of fruits and vegetables that are Earth fruits and vegetables. We have prepared a detailed list of everything that is available. Chell and I were told that the command team must negotiate for the dilithium. Trade negotiations will be very much in favour of Voyager. But Captain, how did you get free?"

"Captain Janeway was not a prisoner," Kiridis blustered, his face beet red as he stammered over his words. "She was a queen."

"Queen Khaira."

"Thank you, Neelix, Mister Kiridis." Kathryn looked at the blushing officer. "I understand that you decrypted the first glyphs that led Voyager here, as well as some of Injasuti's language…"

"Aye, Captain. It wasn't that - "

"Difficult," B'Elanna finished for him. "He reads Phoenician, Captain. We found the library, which proved to be a revelation with regard to the history of Injasuti."

"All over are prayer nooks. The major religions are those of the ancient Carthaginians and the Romans. There are some who worship God," Kiridis added.

"God? Would they know that deity?" Harry asked.

"They would. It's not unlikely," Kiridis offered. "The Phoenicians were merchants with an extensive merchant fleet. They would have come in contact with the Hebrews. They were brought here in the year 146 BCE - the Third Punic War, therefore long before the birth and death of Christ. It makes sense that a monotheistic religion would have survived. When Rome destroyed Carthage, among those who fled were Romans, Numidians, and Hebrews who worshipped God. They would be in the minority here on Injasuti."

"Thank you. Now, Commander Chakotay is still in sick bay. We will meet with the High Command first - "

"The Emperor Scipio," said Kiridis.

Janeway frowned slightly causing Kiridis to blush furiously again.

"Emperor Scipio… We'll meet with him to negotiate our shore leave as well as hammer out some trade agreements.

"B'Elanna?"

"We found the control room, Captain. Suffice to say, everything will be in my official report. I must report here and now, however, that the Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius controlled all of the area inside the force field. I've also discovered that he had the poison gas phosgene planted on the Osiris - the derelict on which we found the dead women and their children. He released it by remote control, days after they left Injasuti orbit.."

"Boy, he must have been that obsessed…" Tom said.

"A religious fanatic, carried to extremes," added Tuvok.

Seven of Nine cleared her throat. "It is fortunate for the government of Injasuti that Commander Chakotay has disabled the force field. I have only just completed my decryptions. The formulae are still available if the High Command remains interested - "

"Of course they'll remain interested, Seven. The practice of living sacrifices must not continue. We know that keeping the force field down will be a major deterrent in halting the reprehensible rituals. They're out-moded anachronisms - "

"Captain, the force field has been disabled permanently by Commander Chakotay…" began Tuvok. Seven nodded but Janeway was looking at B'Elanna Torres and Kiridis who seemed to clam up after Seven spoke. She frowned again.

"Is there something you're not telling me, B'Elanna?" she asked, her voice cutting.

"It's nothing, Captain. The force field will never go up again, according to historical records."

"That is all? Commander Chakotay almost died bringing down that barrier!"

"According to those same historical documents, Captain, Commander Chakotay should be informing you himself. No other person on Injasuti can do it." Kiridis glanced at B'Elanna, then lowered his gaze when he looked at the captain.

Kathryn stared hard at Kiridis. Something was off, she realised, something they were withholding. Something…

She had to confront Chakotay. Chakotay had behaved as if he wanted to stop this meeting. Why? Why was she kept in the dark about what he had done to save her life and that of a defenceless baby? She had to wait until he woke naturally, when he was fully rested after his ordeal. Sighing, she stood up, her palms pressed down on the table surface.

"I expect your official reports at 1900. Dismissed."

 *

 Later in her ready room, Kathryn stared at the face of Gaius Balthazar Barca, First Consul of Injasuti. He reminded her of her father, she realised, smiling to herself.

"It is good to see the captain of Voyager unharmed," Balthazar Barca said.

"It is good to be back on my ship, Consul."

"Please, call me Balthazar."

"Thank you. You bear the name of an illustrious family of Carthaginian generals, Balthazar."

"Yes, Captain Janeway. The name has been handed down for generations here on Injasuti. I am proud."

"It is a great name. We have in our ship's database the complete historical records of the periods leading up to the time your people were brought here, as well as beyond that period. We'd be happy to speak with the Emperor as part of our trade, cultural and shore leave negotiations…"

"Then we shall expect you soon, Captain Janeway. Our people are excited to see humans from another part of this galaxy, from a world we can now call our homeworld."

"My crew are looking forward to shore leave, Consul."

"Captain, all of Injasuti is curious to see you and especially your First Officer, the man who walked unharmed through the unseen wall."

When she closed communication, Kathryn sat back in her chair, deep in thought. There it was again - Chakotay and the unseen wall. Chakotay who was being seen as the saviour of Injasuti, who was a miracle worker. The same Chakotay who almost died walking through the force field. Chakotay was still in sick bay. He remained irritable, according to the doctor, but would be discharged before they were to  transport down to Injasuti.

It was time to face him about the force field. If she couldn't get it out of Torres and Kiridis, she was damned well going to get it out of Chakotay. Then again, Kiridis looked tortured, like one who couldn't keep secrets for long. Perhaps that was where she could find out more, if not from Chakotay.

A light flashed on her console. When she flicked it on, it was to see the scowling face of the doctor.

"Captain, Commander Chakotay has left sick bay. I went offline. He slipped out then, without proper discharge. The man is jeopardising his health. He is - "

"Thank you, Doctor. I'll locate Chakotay."

Kathryn shook her head. This was serious. Chakotay might have recovered but he needed to rest. Now he was gone. When the doctor's face vanished from the screen, Kathryn ordered the computer to locate Commander Chakotay.

"Commander Chakotay is in sickbay."

"No, he is not."

"Rephrase."

"Commander Chakotay's commbadge is in sickbay."

Kathryn grimaced at the simple way Chakotay had outsmarted them. Just at that moment, there was another hail, this time from B'Elanna Torres.

"I've just been informed by Ensign Mulcahy that Commander Chakotay has transported to Injasuti, Captain. Here are the co-ordinates. You should follow him."

"Thank you, B'Elanna," Kathryn replied as she copied the co-ordinates to her tricorder. "B'Elanna…"

"What is it, Captain?"

"There is something I want you to do before I transport to these co-ordinates. I'll meet you in Engineering."

"Acknowledged. What is it about?"

"When I get there, I'll tell you. Janeway out."

Kathryn remained in her ready room for a few minutes, thinking about Chakotay. Their talk was going to come sooner than she’d thought. But first, another fact needed to be established. She hit her commbadge, smiling grimly as she considered what she was about to do.

"Janeway to Lieutenant Kiridis."

There was a long pause as she waited for his response. She could picture Kiridis scuttling about trying to avoid her. She was about to hit her commbadge again when he responded.

"Kiridis here. What can I do for you, Captain?"

"I want to see you in my ready room. You have ten minutes. Janeway out."

 

 

****************

END CHAPTER TEN

 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

He wanted to get out of sickbay, away from the doctor's prying eyes, from Lessing who looked at him with unabashed admiration and from Sam Wildman who couldn't stop deferring to him. What did they think he was? A saviour? He hadn't done a single thing that Kathryn wouldn't have done for him had he been the one who needed saving. No more and no less.

It was nothing. Yet, it was worth it. If that sounded like a contradiction, then all contradictions be damned. He was sick of fawning, of responding to hails from a crewman or officer wanting to know how the miracle man was doing.

He had to get away. The moment Lessing and Wildman were relieved by the EMH, he saw his chance of escape. The doctor had given him a glance, flicking open his tricorder, humming while he checked his patient.

"There. That should do. Another two hours before I'll discharge you," he said absently before he shut the tricorder and headed for his office. Chakotay plucked off his commbadge and stuck it  just inside the cleft formed by the pillow and the bed. When he looked back, he realised that the EMH had gone off-line.

Still dressed in a Starfleet issue hospital gown, Chakotay left the sickbay quietly, and padded barefoot towards the first turbolift.

"Commander?"

"What are you looking at, Ensign?" he barked. "I'm going to sleep in my quarters. If you speak of this to anyone, that would make me very unhappy." His words caused the poor ensign to scurry away down the corridor.

When he reached his quarters, he began to think how Kathryn had found him lying on the floor, how she must have been sick with worry that he almost died. He blanked out that look, telling himself that it was only captainly concern that put it there in the first place. He felt much better anyway, the intense pain that he’d experienced in his chest now gone. He flexed his ankle, satisfied that he could move it without any discomfort, realising that he had just made his way from sickbay to his quarters without thinking about it. 

Ten minutes later, he was dressed again in a clean uniform. Kathryn, he knew, would only see him later that day, according to the EMH. They were due for their meeting with Emperor Scipio. Scipio was going to surprise Kathryn. He was looking forward to seeing her reaction.

Right now, he knew, she wasn't going to come looking for him. The senior officers were on bridge duty, he surmised, with Seven probably in Astrometrics. Kathryn was most likely in her ready room.

Leaving his quarters, he made his way back to the turbolift, his thoughts again on her. He recalled lying in sickbay and opening his eyes to see her worried look. He recalled the touch of her palm against his cheek, the thrill that coursed through his body. A warmth unlike the pain he suffered earlier had spread through him. It had been worth it, he had told her. When her worried look and concerned touch remained just that, he knew with a sickening feeling that whatever he did, what he did for her, would never be reciprocated. What did he expect? It was selfish to expect anything, he knew, for that would diminish to unimportance the heroism which he displayed today.

The heart was something different. While he could die selflessly because his mind told him to, his heart wanted something in return, however small. It screamed for something, something out of the ordinary, something out of this world, something that would make the sentiment of 'it was worth it' worthwhile. That something was not in the way Kathryn had touched him in sickbay.

He had known it would be like that, that her reaction would be tempered by the boundaries and unseen walls behind which she remained protected. He had always sensed it, and that was why Kiridis and Torres had been given strict instructions to shut their mouths about the true nature of his contribution in the rescue operation.

The doctor told him not to indulge in  heavy physical activity. It wasn't that he felt like doing anything physical anyway in order to organise his thoughts, to put into perspective the events of the day, his part in it and most importantly, his feelings. Voyager needed her captain back; his own needs paled compared to those of the many - her crew, the people of Injasuti. He had been right when he told Emperor Scipio, "My needs are irrelevant; they drown in the face of my ship's needs…"  

What he wanted to do was something else, something that would connect him to himself, to his inner voice. Perhaps not so much meditation but a place, one in which he could breathe in the peace and let all the anger, the anticipation of disappointment flow from him. A place where he could once again return to the man for whom a touch, a look, a smile had been enough,  not accompanied by the hope which burned like a bright flare inside his heart so fiercely that he collapsed because of it.

He was so deep in thought that seeing Ensign Mulcahy in the transporter room gave him a jolt. With a grim smile, he realized that his subconscious mind was already directing him to a place. Did he have any choice? The decision was taken from him by an inner force he couldn't fight, nor did he wish to fight it.

"Out," he told Mulcahy who gaped then closed his mouth before he took a few reluctant steps towards the exit of the room. "I meant out," Chakotay barked. "And one word to anyone…"  was enough to make the ensign scurry out.

Once Mulcahy was gone, Chakotay rounded the control centre and entered the co-ordinates, timing the transport to start once he stood on the platform. It felt good to experience a sense of disassembling before his corporeal body materialised at exactly the spot where he wanted to be. It was early morning on Injasuti and already people were making their way about the city. He stood in front of a building near the Emperor's Palace, just a metre away from the prayer nook. How long ago was it that he had seen people standing at these places of worship? So much had happened since then. So much.

The alcove was ornate, in the architectural style of ancient Earth mosques and temples, the arc adorned with bas relief - men and women worshipping, images of animals, warriors riding chariots, even what to him appeared like cherubs and seraphs. Chakotay moved closer, just inside the archway and instantly he was overcome with a sense of peace that swept through his body. Inside the alcove was a small stand that extended from the inner wall, on which stood a metallic bowl containing water. He hadn't asked the Emperor or Hamilcar Bakchan what the procedure was for entering into meditative prayer. He knew intuitively to scoop water with his hands from the bowl and splash his face lightly. Against the wall was also bas relief. Chakotay blinked as he gazed at it, then blinked again and again as he shook his head. It seemed to him the picture changed before his very eyes. He could have sworn it wasn't there when he entered. Now, looking at the raised image, it was the eyes of Kathryn that stared at him. At first, the image appeared like his father, then the Emperor, now Kathryn. Shaking his head again, he covered his face with his hands to wipe the water away. Then he held his palms up in front of him, his eyes focusing on Kathryn's image. Thus began his prayer…

_O Spirits, let me not fly up in anger from her whom I most desire. Infuse me with peace, acceptance and selflessness. Let me love her with all my being, to the very ends of the earth. Yes, let me love her in that way but let me not demand from her anything in return. O Spirit, lessen this desire in me, for I am only human enough to wish more. Awaken in me a spirit of greater giving, even as my very heart cries for her. Make me not selfish, or speak where it is not asked about my part in her survival and that of this world._

On and on Chakotay spoke in wordless entreaty, his gaze on Kathryn's face, hardly aware that her image changed to moments in their lives when they made memories together, from their first encounter to the last. He pleaded with the spirits to make him accept those memories and to take them with him into the afterlife. They were times of joy, times of sadness, times of comfort, times of hurt and times of togetherness. Fervently he asked that they all remain embedded in his mind.

It was not something he desired beyond himself to understand, for his soul already understood. The last image was of Queen Khaira, whose eyes shattered in the realisation that she had killed a child, calling his name, looking so beautiful that his heart could not contain the fullness of it and broke.

When he stopped finally, he slowly became aware of his surroundings for his prayers, turned inward to his very depths, caused the world about him to grow dim. It was as if he woke up from a deep, dark and wondrous dream to find himself in the light. For several minutes, he remained quite still, frowning. What peace he prayed for, what acceptance he entreated, what selflessness he desired, seemed missing, eluding him for his soul was still not at rest.

"This is strange," came his thought, "that I do not feel nourished…"

He turned round, troubled by these feelings. The light from the twin suns was in his eyes. Someone stood there, someone waiting to use the prayer nook.

"Chakotay…"

"Kathryn?"

 "We must speak, Chakotay," she said softly, moving slightly to the left so that he could see her. She looked sad, he thought, and it was a sadness that seemed to touch him too, to join with his own restlessness that would not leave.

"What do you mean, Kathryn? It will all be in my official report," he replied.

"Please, could you walk with me where we can be private?"

So he followed her, or walked beside her. Her stance was official, yet her bearing spoke to him more deeply than the red of her uniform. Once or twice she cast him a worried glance and each time he flinched at the look in her eyes. There were many more people around them, he discovered. During his meditation, he had not been aware of any other humans. Now they appeared curious, one or two even following them. He couldn't smile, couldn't even speak a word. Neither did Kathryn. But it felt to him that the eyes of those following them were curious. They knew of Queen Khaira, he realised, and by now they also knew that during the Queen's induction, the child of Isabella called Irezah did not die but was saved by the star travelers. What else were they wondering about? wondered Chakotay. Soon though, they left the inquisitive throng behind, so that he heard only their own footsteps.

Kathryn stopped in front of a dwelling. He gave her a querying glance.

"It is the home of the brother of Livia Gaiden."

He did not know Livia Gaiden, but followed Kathryn inside, where the lounge was cool. A window was open and the see-through drape adorning the window fluttered ever so slightly in the light breeze. They were alone.

"Don't worry, Chakotay. Ishmael has assured me that we'll be private. He has taken his wife and two sons to their house by the Lake."

He nodded. She sat down on a large couch, indicating that he sit down too. He hesitated before settling on the single seat opposite her. It was very quiet in the house, yet inside him storms were brewing.

"What do you want to speak about, Kathryn?" he asked, folding his hands together. He kept his eyes on her. The sadness still lurked in her eyes, and he wondered if it was because she thought she might have killed the little girl. By now she must know that she hadn’t. He had left them all in sickbay before he headed for his quarters.

"I…was Queen Khaira…" she began.

He thought how beautiful she looked then and for a fleeting moment he closed his eyes before opening them again.

"Yes. You didn't kill anyone. You are Kathryn Janeway. The child is alive."

"Her name is Irezah and her mother is Isabella."

"I know. It is over now, Kathryn."

There was silence that hovered about them after he spoke. Her hands wrung together and he thought she was nervous. She gave a little cough.

"It isn't, you know?"

"Kathryn, I - "

"I know nothing of what happened when the unseen wall was breached."

"I deactivated it. It had to be done. You would have done the same for me."

Kathryn sprang up from the couch with a jerky movement and walked to the window, turning so that she could look at him.

"That's just it, Chakotay. You're doing it again - downplaying your own contribution to saving me…saving Injasuti…"

"Kathryn, we are here now as Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay, your First Officer. In a couple of hours we are to speak with Emperor Scipio as the command team of Voyager. Injasuti will be in a process of reconstruction after we leave. That is all, isn't it?"

She closed the distance between them, standing a metre in front of him. He rose to his feet. She looked beautiful, her cheeks flushed and angry.

"I listened to the report of Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis."

"So?"

"Then I called him to my ready room to question him about the many holes in it."

"What?"

"The truth, Chakotay. Why are you so afraid of it?"

"Did you twist Kiridis's arm?"

"In a manner of speaking. Chakotay…evidently you made Kiridis and B'Elanna promise not to tell me anything more than I needed to know. Why did you extract such an unfair undertaking from them? " Kathryn moved even closer to him. Her eyes were moist. "I know the truth, Chakotay."

He turned away from her, to get away from her eyes that followed him, those wet, sad eyes that threatened to undo him.

"You know the truth…that I literally broke my heart and bled my hands walking through the force field? So if you know, why continue this…this inquisition?"

He knew it was unfair to her, just as it was unfair to demand Kiridis and Torres report nothing of why he really did what he had done.

Kathryn gave a small sigh of impatience.

"I have read the poem by one Appian Rai, great poet of the second century in Injasuti history. He was named for the great historian Appian I of Alexandria, who witnessed and recorded the destruction of Carthage. I know what you had to do to neutralise the force field and why only Chakotay of Voyager could do it. Shall I tell you the words, Chakotay? The few lines of it which have stuck in my memory in the last hour or so like a repetitive tune that won't leave?"

He swung quickly, to gesture that she not repeat the lines.

"No, Kathryn…don't…"

She forged ahead. He was too late as she began…

 

_But lo! Our gracious queen be freed_

_by fealty, and him whose heart_

_forever joins with her…_

_For only then, once barriers are laid waste_

_and gone forever, shall a warrior_

_someday, someday, break the spell_

_that binds her to her laws._

 

"Dammit, Kathryn…"

"Not the ancient laws and queens of Injasuti, but Kathryn Janeway. Those words spoke of Kathryn and Chakotay. _Your_ loyalty, _your_ heart that joins with mine, _your_ love that must break the spell that binds me to _my_ laws. Just what did you have to do to bring down the impenetrable unseen wall? One that has killed thousands of Injasuti over the years? What did you do?" she asked.

"Kathryn, don't ask me…please…"

"I have to know the truth from your mouth. I must hear it from you if we're to heal together or I shall never, as long as I live, find any rest. I need to  know…"

Emitting a deep sigh, Chakotay sat down on the couch and buried his head in his hands. He felt suddenly tired, tired of fighting, tired of the restlessness, tired of unfulfilled meditation, tired of everything. He had entreated the spirits passionately to make him selfless in accepting that all he'd ever be to her was a friend. She knelt down before him and pulled his hands away from his face, lacing her fingers through his. The gesture alarmed him. Her eyes were filled with tears, although she did not weep. He frowned, a little perplexed at the way she held his hands, if…as if…. Ruthlessly he cast away any thought of possibilities, wondrous promise that would ultimately not deliver.

"Please…please…"

What could he tell her? How to begin? Or where to begin? Not sleeping for almost forty eight hours until he stood drunkenly in a turbolift trying to move? Worrying about her and terrorising the crew because she wasn't there, possibly gone from his life forever? He missed her, not for Voyager, but for himself. His words, _My needs are irrelevant; they drown in the face of my ship's needs_ spoken to Emperor Scipio - how long ago was it now? seemed empty, full of bravado, belying his longing for her, his extreme worry that she'd be lost to him forever.

Was it Kiridis and Torres approaching him and telling him that he was the only one anywhere on Injasuti whose god given task and duty it was to bring down the unseen wall forever? According to them, and what he realised himself later, it was faith that was unseen to break down something that couldn't be seen. It was the only way. Was it possible that such attempts had been made in the past? He had wondered then whether they had spoken the truth. They had stared straight at him, not budging until he relented. That was after he himself had read the poem with the prophetic words. The words jumped at him, piercing his soul, for were they not the truth? It was as if all matter of space and time moved away and only he remained with the words of the poet. Fealty or loyalty, love everlasting that would lay to waste all barriers between them. He wasn't sure about those invisible barriers, but he believed with all his heart that from him, within him, all that he ever felt for her - loyalty, devotion, love so powerful that his heart remained on a constant dull ache - were broken when he entered the invisible realm of his spirit guide.

He shook his head remembering his quest, standing in front of the force field with his palms almost touching it. He visited old foes, new foes, visited agonies unparalleled and anger unbridled when he lost everything he had held dear. He revisited his regrets, then new regrets with her, Kathryn, who would become the reason he would get up every day and breathe. Begging his spirits for reprieve, for release from his anger, his pain, his regret, for the peace of knowing her… He did not have to be forced to do what he was doing, for didn't he wish it with his whole being anyway? To free Injasuti from her bonds and free Kathryn from hers? Never had he given any thought that what he was doing was extra-ordinary, that he sought fame and fortune, a good name, the title _saviour_ to advance his ego. None of those things existed in him then. All he knew, sensed, felt intuitively, was that Kathryn needed him, that he had to rescue her.

His hands had bled from the intensity of his quest and his heart broke. He could see his hands even now, bleeding, smudging Kathryn's hands and dress, even though he felt no pain. But it was the journey into his darkest soul, those depths that no one knew of, not even Kathryn, that was the anguish compounded a hundred times. It was acknowledging to himself how he could not exist without Kathryn, how he would be loyal and devoted, how he would love her forever, how he could not help himself anymore, loving her.

He’d done it for her. No payment. No reward. He didn't want any…

Where was he dwelling?

"Chakotay!"

When he opened his eyes, he realised that he had spoken aloud what he believed to be his thoughts. He stared at Kathryn, bewildered at his own admission and the tears that stained her cheeks. He noted absently how white her knuckles were as she clutched his hands in hers.

"That is the truth I know, Chakotay."

"Then you need not be afraid that I will make any de - "

"Now," she cut into his words, "you must hear mine…"

"K-Kathryn?"

She rose. Not releasing his hands, she sat down next to him, close to him. His heart thudded from her nearness. Why was she doing it? What did this mean?

"Look at me, Chakotay…"  She spoke the words with a little sob escaping her. When he turned so that he could face her, his heart stopped. He could only see her as he had on the platform, indescribably beautiful with her head dress that seemed out of this world. He shook that image away from him, to replace it with the face of Kathryn of Voyager, Kathryn, his captain, his friend, to bring him back to reality.

"When I was transported here," Kathryn began, "I was so ill, I only woke two days later. A young handmaiden called me _Eminenza_ …Queen Khaira. I was told that I was a genetic match for the dying Queen Toreth, that the Procurator brought me here, to Injasuti, to the Place of the Weeping Water. I was to be inducted the next day as Queen Khaira by Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius. I hear he is dead now, killed by a young man called Kephtah…

"Anyway, I wanted to be taken to my people immediately. My commbadge had been recalibrated to the frequencies of Injasuti. I realised that Voyager would never hear my emergency calls, to beam me out of there. Voyager would not hear it, nor would my ship be able to penetrate the force field. I became increasingly frantic that Voyager would never reach me in time…"

She paused, trying to organise her thoughts. A tear fell on their joined hands. She lifted her face again to him. "All that time I was awake, whether I was eating, talking to Hanim, the handmaiden or Livia Gaiden the Palace Housekeeper, or Kephtah or Queen Toreth, I thought of you, Chakotay. Every waking moment was spent with you at the back of my mind, and sometimes right at the forefront. I kept thinking: when were you coming for me? When will you rescue me? When will my Warrior come charging to me on one of the white horses of the Great Plains of Injasuti? Then I thought of the times I’d touched your hand, rested my palm against your cheek, smiled at you when I was filled with joy, shared an anecdote and playfully kissed you. I thought of those times I crawled to your quarters to be comforted because a crewman had died, or we lost a battle and I couldn't fight anymore, when I lost hope. I thought how you would give me solace, speak in those soft tones of your voice on which I'd come to rely.

"I thought how I’d never imagined what drawing so much strength from you had done to you. How I'd taken my first officer, my best friend, my mentor and moral compass for granted. I thought how I had taken and never given. I missed you so much then, so much because finally, I had to admit to myself that I loved you. It wouldn't go away, that love. It was telling me to be brave. All I had to do was be courageous and let those barriers you spoke of, go. I kept thinking that I'd tell you of my feelings just as soon as you came for me, because you had to know of them, you had the right to know…"

There was another pause. Kathryn watched how Chakotay's face began to change, to soften from the hardened warrior who was ready to be disappointed again, and to absorb that disappointment by dismissing his own heroism. His eyes softened; they were beginning to fill with hope. Her heart soared.

"You know," he whispered in a hoarse voice, "that I would walk beside you always."

"Yes, Chakotay." Kathryn gave another deep sob, her shoulders shaking. She felt herself pulled into his embrace and his shoulder become a welcome resting place. "I fought Afzhal Serinius to the very last. When he couldn't beat me, I knew the moment I was going to lose. His palm came up. There was something attached. I knew that if you didn't come, I would be on Injasuti for the rest of my days, a slave to an ancient ritual. I was frantic, calling your name. I wanted you there so badly. After that, there was so much pain. I tried desperately to cling to all my memories of you, everything we ever shared, every touch and look. That last time on the bridge, when you smiled at me… I wanted to cling to that even as the memory began to fade in the waves of pain. I was lost…"

"We were there, Kathryn, ready to deactivate the force field. Those times you speak of, we were already on Injasuti, setting plans in place to rescue you."

"Then, I heard your name. It was what brought me out of the trance. Your voice, Chakotay." Kathryn buried herself deeper against him. "I love you," she whispered.

She wept for several minutes and when she stopped finally, he held her away from him. He thought she couldn't have looked more beautiful than with her cheeks tear stained, her eyes no longer so sad, her lips no longer ready to voice her denials.

"I stood at the prayer nook," he began, "to ask that I become selfless in my needs, to accept that my love for you would never be reciprocated, to continue to love you. I wanted peace, to calm my restless soul. When I finished my meditation, I felt for the first time unfulfilled, that my soul was not nourished. I couldn't understand it."

"Because you still needed to hear my story, beloved…" she answered truthfully, a tender smile breaking through her tears.

"Yes,that's it. I cannot breathe without you. It was worth it, you know, saving you, saving Injasuti…"

Suddenly Chakotay hauled her back in his arms, his shoulders shaking roughly with the force of his emotions. Later, when he calmed, he cupped her face, her parted lips ready to be claimed by his. He groaned as he kissed her deeply, her willing mouth opening under his, the contact causing blinding flashes. It was a lingering, passionate kiss which finally ended, when he couldn't breathe anymore.

"My love," he whispered, feeling the old ache in his chest from just looking at her.

"I love you, Chakotay. I shall never forget what you have done for me."

 *

Later, they rose from the couch and stood ready to leave the dwelling of Livia Gaiden's brother.

Kathryn's commbadge beeped.

"Torres to Captain Janeway."

"Janeway here, B'Elanna. Report."

"Captain, I have the co-ordinates you requested."

Kathryn removed her tricorder and flipped it open, ready to download on B'Elanna's instruction. Seconds later, she closed the tricorder.

"Thank you, B'Elanna. Janeway out."

"Well, what was that all about?" Chakotay asked as he moved a stray wisp of hair behind her ear.

Kathryn's expression was sober.

"Queen Toreth has a three year old son, Aidan. He lives here in the city. B'Elanna found him."

"And you wish to see this little boy first before we go to the Emperor?"

"Would you mind very much, my love? Aidan was removed from his mother at birth, and his father most likely murdered by Afzhal Serinius. He is without parents, cared for by a woman Afzhal appointed. I must give him a message from his mother."

Chakotay knew there was more to Kathryn's request. His heart ached. Her joy would be his.

"Please," she continued, "I would - " 

"Kathryn, darling, I am going to love that little boy like he was my own son."

Her eyes widened, then filled with tears as her lips trembled. He wanted to haul her in his arms again and assure her that anything she desired, he would too.

"You understand…"

"More than you can ever know, Kathryn. I understand."

"Then shall we go and meet Aidan?"

Chakotay thought of Seska, how she had deceived him. He thought how she had died, leaving behind a small baby now cared for by its father, Maj Jal Culluh. He thought how Kathryn had been prepared to lose her ship to save the child when they thought it was his son. He felt the stirrings again, of belonging, of caring, the excitement growing in him. He touched her cheek in a tender caress.

"Let's go and take Aidan home…"

 

   *********

END CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

 CHAPTER TWELVE AND EPILOGUE TO FOLLOW.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

**Shore Leave - Chakotay**

He loved to observe her. The last two weeks he had seen a different Kathryn, more woman, more allure, more mystique, with an openness about her that made his heart soar. Many times he felt like pinching himself for his good fortune, unable to believe that she returned his feelings. His hopeless longing was now gone, and in its place was a renewed vigour, a freedom to look at her with unabashed admiration, to touch her often and see her smile, her acceptance, the promise of togetherness.

Chakotay breathed in deeply as he rode the white stallion across the Great Plains of Injasuti. His mount had been loaned to him by Kephtah, who swore that Oberon was trained and bred only for Chakotay of Voyager. Chakotay rode Oberon for a few hours whenever he was on the planet. It gave him time to think, to reflect on his life that changed beyond what he had ever expected, knowing how much Kathryn loved him. The ride across the plains left him energised, making him realise how much he missed riding, the thrill of a beast beneath him, pure moving muscle. He imagined then how the Romans, the Arabs, the Carthaginians must have looked on horseback. He was happy.

They now had a son.

The thought of how they'd found the little boy still evoked fury in him. Fury and at the same time a wonder unsurpassed at what had happened that day Kathryn declared her love for him and they had gone to meet Aidan, son of the late Queen Toreth.

They had walked together until they reached the small terminus of flitters and boarded one. After Kathryn had given the coordinates, it was only minutes before they disembarked in a remote part of the city.

He had smiled grimly when they noticed the neglected buildings, houses and apartments, knowing that the boy they were looking for had to be in one of them. Kathryn had given him a distressed look, frowning as they walked towards a street with its dilapidated houses. He remembered how on most worlds they’d visited, they had never seen squalor.

"They should be doing something," Kathryn had said softly. He had told her then that they'd mention it to the emperor.

His hand had touched her arm lightly, guiding her forward more than following her, his gesture one of assurance, of comfort. Kathryn's eyes were on her tricorder.

"It's closer than I thought," came her words. "B'Elanna matched Queen Toreth's DNA with children aged three and under across the entire city…"

"Then she must have twisted the arm of the birth registry office," he replied. He knew that whatever B'Elanna had done had reaped results. A sweep of the city would have been one of her methods used to trace the child.

"I told her not to kill anyone," Kathryn said. "I hope we've reached the right place."

"We'll know soon," he comforted.

She gave him a joyous smile as they reached a door. Kathryn hesitated briefly. He knocked loudly. They waited a few minutes. The door opened and a woman peeped suspiciously at them.

"We have come to see the boy, Aidan."

"There is no Aidan," the woman replied as Chakotay gently pushed the door further open and crossed the threshold.

"But there is a boy, and we wish to see him," he told the woman. "Now."

They noticed how suspicion made way for fear.

"The Supreme Commander gave him to me," she said stonily.

"The Supreme Commander is dead, and I'm sure you know that Queen Toreth, the boy's mother, is also dead. Now, take us to him," Kathryn had said peremptorily.

The woman had hesitated before nodding. Chakotay thought she probably knew it was futile to refuse them. With Afzhal Serinius dead, there was no reason to keep the child. Still, the woman's hesitation, her reluctance to let them into her home seemed to spring from another source.

"Follow me…"

In a small room at the back of the house, they saw the child, a little boy with doe-like eyes who looked scared. He had been sitting on a mattress but when they entered, he shifted back, his movement stopped by the wall behind him. With Chakotay following, Kathryn had moved forward to kneel in front of the child.’

"Hello…"

When the child lifted a hand to stick his thumb in his mouth, they saw the dark bruises on his arm. Chakotay closed his eyes as he remembered Kathryn's soft cry.

"Don't be afraid, little one," he had heard Kathryn say.

She had looked at him, her eyes telling him to alert their EMH. Chakotay had risen quickly to his feet, moving outside the room again and hailed the EMH, telling him to beam the three of them directly to sick bay on his mark. He had given the woman a threatening look, warning her to keep out of his way.

"What name have you given the child?" he hissed.

"Halim."

"The least you could have done for him was to love him…" Chakotay said softly before he entered the room again.

He had been surprised to see Aidan in Kathryn's arms, his head resting against her shoulder, the thumb still in his mouth.

"This is Aidan," Kathryn told him. "There is absolutely no way we can leave him here, Chakotay."

He had looked at Kathryn and Aidan. With the light on them, he saw how Aidan looked, not so much like Kathryn, but more resembling him. While the medical tricorder Kathryn was carrying confirmed the identity and match with Kathryn and Aidan's mother, the doctor still had to perform more specialised tests on the child. B'Elanna had seen to it that blood samples from Queen Toreth had been transported to sick bay. Now, with Aidan, they would be able to confirm for certain.

Raven hair in a pale face, dark eyes with long lashes. But the child had been neglected, hurt. Chakotay's heart burned fiercely at the way Kathryn held Aidan, at the way they looked like they belonged together, at the protectiveness Kathryn exuded. He hit his commbadge. They were ready to beam up to Voyager.

Half an hour later, they had listened to the doctor's report. A fracture that had healed, ribs that had been cracked and healed. The EMH had reset some of the bones again, the child appearing to trust him completely. Kathryn was never far from Aidan, making reassuring soft sounds that set him at ease.

After they pinned a commbadge on him, it was easier to follow Aidan's dialect of Phoenician. Later in her quarters, Kathryn had sat him on the couch, seating herself next to him. Chakotay had knelt in front of them, his hand on Kathryn's knee.

"I know you do not remember your Mommy, Aidan, but she asked me to tell you how much she loved you. She loved you from the moment you were born and she never ever stopped. She loved you very, very much, okay?"

Aidan had looked wide-eyed at her. "I don't have a mama…" he said shyly.

"I know, honey. Your real mama is no longer with us, but she loved you."

"Amra hurt me…"

"Amra will never hurt you again, okay? Never ever."

"Are you my mama?" Aidan asked. Chakotay felt overwhelmed by the emotion, by the weight of the child's question.

"No, Aidan. I'm not your Mama…"

"Do you look like her?"

Kathryn had given Chakotay a pained look then, but when she turned to face little Aidan again, she nodded.

"Yes, Aidan. I look like her…"

"I don't want to go to Amra," Aidan said, throwing himself against Kathryn.

They had beamed down to Injasuti again, leaving Aidan in the capable care of Samantha Wildman and Naomi, who immediately fawned over him. After their consultation with the Emperor, they had formally asked to adopt Aidan and take him with them on their journey home…

 

   **Shore leave - the memorial services**

The area formerly covered by the unseen wall was filled again with a great multitude. It was the memorial for the men, women and children of the Osiris who had been murdered by Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius, and the burial of Queen Toreth. Once again the wailing swept up, of great sadness that mingled with the sound of the water that rushed downstream, with the great rumbling sound of the waterfall that plunged into the river.

No one was on the platform, but the bier of Queen Toreth stood in the middle on a large, ornate stand surrounded by burning candles. Those who couldn't see her body directly were able to cast their eyes on hundreds of screens situated all over the Place of the Weeping Water.

Livia Gaiden and Hanim, once the palace housekeeper and handmaiden of Queen Toreth and, very briefly, Captain Janeway, stood close to the platform where only days ago, Kephtah had killed the evil, monstrous Afzhal Serinius. While there was no Queen to serve, they both knew that there would soon be a succession, one that would herald a new era in the life, culture and history of Injasuti, one in which not a single human soul need die without just cause.

Dressed in flowing purple garments, Emperor Scipio walked onto the platform and stood in front of the bier containing the body of Queen Toreth.

"She should have been alive today," whispered Livia to Hanim. "It is a sad day indeed. But I am comforted that Queen Toreth is to be laid to rest, and that my cousin Laurana is at peace."

"Did you know, Livia, that the boy Aidan is now with Queen Khaira and her husband, the Great Warrior Chakotay?"

Livia nodded sombrely. Her eyes were soft with the memory of visiting the ship Voyager with Marcus Kiridis and seeing how, only days after being in the care of the captain, the little boy was flourishing. He already knew a few words of his new language, English, and called the Great Warrior who saved Queen Khaira, Injasuti and its people 'papa'. There was a light in Aidan's eyes, a light that told her he was content in his new home, with his new parents.

"Yes, I have seen how happy Aidan is. I cannot say that I will miss him, Hanim, as I never had the privilege of knowing him. But if he is to be taken away from this, his home… I am sad."

"Do not be. Remember what Kephtah told you? That Queen Khaira has assured young Aidan of his mother's last words, of how much she loved him even as she never had the honour of seeing, knowing him? That is our solace, Livia Gaiden. Be of great joy…"

Livia looked at Hanim and smiled.

"Things will change, Hanim, but I believe change is good. Yes, I am filled with joy."

"Not least now that I have seen you with Lieutenant Marcus Kiridis. There is a new light in your eyes…"

Before Livia could respond to Hanim's words, the emperor appeared on the platform.

When Emperor Scipio raised his hands, a hush fell over Injasuti.

_"O people of Injasuti, we mourn the passing of our great Queen Toreth! Her death shall be remembered by all who revere her name. For was she not the last to endure the tyranny of him who was slain, by him who has held hostage all who lived within these walls! Today we shall consecrate her and make holy, elevate her to the highest of all great warriors before her, who have championed the cause of freedom, justice and the right to life! O needless those who have died!_

_"I tell you, today of all days, this tyranny has ended, that Injasuti shall prosper as her homeworld has prospered. We revere and respect life before all else and while we are deeply saddened by the death of Queen Toreth, it shall be seen as a victory for Injasuti, that however we may look upon it, she has sacrificed her life to save others._

_"I charge you now, people of this great world, brought here by our ancient fathers, to embark on a period of reconstruction of the cities, that those most vulnerable to indignities be raised and be respected._

_Our Procurator, since ancient times our Caretaker, has undertaken to depart from her duty to Injasuti, as we have given our most fervent assurance that Injasuti can and will survive without her help."_

All who listened that day listened with their hearts, and took to heart the words of Emperor Scipio. For them a new era beckoned as the bier of Queen Toreth was removed from the pyre and carried by six young men towards the Tophet. Even though only children had been buried there since ancient times, it was the Queen's wish that she make her final resting place among the very children she had raised to the arms of the Venerable Goddess Tanith.

"It is over, Livia Gaiden," whispered Hanim reverently.

"Yes, it is. Listen… Can you hear the sad songs of mourning in the air?"

Startled, Hanim listened, hearing only the sound of water, from the waterfall and the river as the water gently washed over white pebbles. She turned to Livia and smiled.

"No," she replied.

 

**Shore leave - Kathryn Janeway**

Chakotay lay spooned behind her. Sometime during the last hour he had shifted so that his arm slid in under hers, his hand cupping her breast. She gave a delicious moan of contentment as she covered his hand, feeling the extra grip as her fingers laced through his. Even in his sleep, he was aware of her closeness.

Only a week ago, they were joined in marriage in a ceremony presided over by both Lieutenant- Commander Tuvok and Emperor Scipio. Witnessed by some of the senior officers, a host of Voyager crew as well as the Emperor's Guard, they exchanged their vows in the Temple of Antiquity of Injasuti's first city.

The light from Injasuti's twin suns was already streaming into the room. She was fully awake but she was enjoying the time until Chakotay woke up fully. It was the last day of their shore leave on Injasuti; they had spent the week visiting the museums, watching the russet sunsets, lazing on sandy beaches, eating the fresh fruits she knew so well from Earth.

Chakotay had again been riding on Oberon the previous day and was saddle sore, hence his tiredness. Also, during the week he had helped Kephtah break in two young stallions and one mare. Kephtah dressed more like a Roman soldier these days, no longer showing off his bare bronzed torso. The dogs Bligh and Nemo followed him everywhere.

It was something wondrous, Kathryn realised, how well the Voyager crew adapted to life on Injasuti. Their discovery of the derelict with its dead crew seemed far away now. But the people of the planet were humans like them, although it startled her still, walking in the streets or piazzas, when people smiled, greeted, or stopped to talk to them. Chakotay especially was the one they sought, for all on Injasuti knew that their saviour was the warrior from the vessel Voyager.

Smiling to herself, she remembered how she prayed he would rescue her, come riding on a white stallion. Like in a fairy tale, that part of her dream had come true. He looked in his element, so completely one with nature and his surroundings, as if he and Oberon were not two, but a single unit. Her heart had raced, beating wildly with immense pride as he had brought Oberon to a halt in front of her. He looked rugged in his Maquis gear with riding boots that fitted snugly around his calves.

Chakotay had held out his hand to her.

"Come with me…"

And together they rode the plains, Oberon's flanks glistening and when Chakotay finally stopped, he turned to look at her. She saw the question even before he asked it.

"We can't take him with us, Chakotay," she had whispered into his back. "Unfortunately."

"I know, but I can dream, can't I?" he had replied with a smile before he dug in his heels and let Oberon canter back to the stables.

She loved Chakotay, and the thrill of showing it still filled her with wonder. The shadows were gone from his eyes. Since the day she had declared her love for him, he had been so attentive, so ruggedly handsome, so high in spirits that she was herself almost afraid of being too happy. It was a new Chakotay she had come to know in the last ten days, being with him, living with him, sharing a bed, just…sharing. It was private, precious, intimate, an intimacy that welcomed their vulnerabilities, their pain, their joy.

They had a son who, strangely enough, resembled Chakotay more in appearance and nature, although Aidan was her genetic match. When she had first laid eyes on the little boy, it was all she could do not to kill Amra, the woman who cared for him and who had damaged him so. What was Afzhal Serinius thinking when he left the child, still with its umbilical cord attached, in the care of a person who had no love to give?

Aidan had grown up loveless, his short life punctuated by fear, loneliness and lack of intimacy. He was diffident, fearing that she and Chakotay would leave him behind on Injasuti. But with so many crew showing him how they loved him, he was beginning to warm slowly, to trust them.

Chakotay - the people of Injasuti called him the Great Warrior - had been magnificent in handling Aidan, who at times flew into a rage, calming the frightened child until Aidan would lie against him, sobbing until he became tranquil again.

She didn't want to get up. Aidan was sleeping in a small room next to theirs and Chakotay had gotten up during the night to comfort him. The first night he slept in a bed on Voyager, he had fallen out during the night. They had realised with alarm that the child had always just slept on the floor. There were so many things wrong, so much Aidan had to catch up to be a normal, well balanced three year old. Kathryn smiled inwardly. She had herself traced the date of his birth, matching it with Earth dates to discover that Aidan had been  born on New Year's day.

A soft knock on their door alerted her that it was time she and Chakotay got up. When she opened the door, Aidan stood there. He looked so small, forlorn, yet his eyes were focused trustingly on her. It was the first time he had ventured out of his room by himself, in itself progress. She and Chakotay took turns looking in on him during the night, and both of them tucked him in when it was bed time. Chakotay had Marcus Kiridis access the city library for Injasuti children's stories. The way the boy reacted with awe, wide-eyed fascination, made them want to dismember Amra.

"Aidan, honey, is something the matter?" she asked him, noting that he had pinned his commbadge to his pyjamas.

Aidan just stood there, his thumb firmly in his mouth. Giving a soft sigh, Kathryn took his free hand and led him to their bed.

"Papa is still sleeping," he whispered.

"That's okay," she whispered too, as she slid in next to Chakotay. "Come, you can lie here next to me. We can afford another hour in bed."

Aidan smiled as he wormed himself against her. Kathryn's heart soared. It was his first smile, progress indeed as she smoothed his dark hair.

"When will we go on your big ship again, Mama?" he asked, wide awake now that he felt safe again.

Aidan had no family, those on his late father's side too distant to care for a little boy lost. They had gained permission from Emperor Scipio to adopt Toreth's son and take him with them on their journey back to Injasuti's Ancient World, Earth. Aidan had latched on to her and Chakotay naturally, although it was a challenge to manage his mood swings, brought on by the abuse he had suffered.

"You have a lot of work, Captain, Commander. But I know nothing is beyond you to achieve the rehabilitation of Aidan." The EMH had appeared non-committal, but they knew he was as angry as they had been when they met Aidan the first time. "He already senses your love," the doctor continued. "Here on Voyager he will be surrounded by love…"

"Mama?"

"Not long, honey. We must say goodbye to Emperor Scipio and Livia and Hanim and Kephtah and the dogs first. It won't be long, okay?"

"Then we go on Voyager?"

"Yes, sweetie. We go on Voyager."

"And Mama is - is the captain?"

"And Papa is my first officer."

Aidan moved so that he could look at her. Then he plucked off his commbadge and it fell to the floor.

"Mama's name is Kathryn and Papa is Chakotay," Aidan said in English.

"Did Papa teach you English words, Aidan?"

"No. Uncle Marcus did."

 An hour later they sat at the breakfast table enjoying cereal, orange juice, toast, eggs. Kathryn looked at Chakotay and Aidan in turn and thought that she had never been happier in her life.

 

  **Shore leave - Marcus Kiridis**

For the first time in more than six years, Marcus Kiridis enjoyed shore leave. It was his first sojourn on a planet that was longer than twenty four hours. Sitting atop Mount Mehmet southwest of the first city of Injasuti, he could see the shiny snake slithering down below. The Bridgton River flowed south, a tributary of the great Kartago River, the longest river on the continent.

He sniffed in the clean air, threw his head back and let the warmth from the suns' rays bathe his face. Today he was alone, and for the first time in his entire life, he didn't look forward to being lonely. It was something he had sought with craven greed, always too mindful of being teased. School had never been good for him and he had withdrawn from most contact, never allowing himself to get close to anyone. He had always thought himself a normal person, an average looking human, but children especially could be disarmingly hurtful in their innocence.

Marcus touched his ears. Lieutenant Torres had told him that the doctor could 'fix' it for him. Funny, he thought, how he never had the urge to make cosmetic transformations to his appearance. As a child, with the unkind teasing of other children ringing in his ears, it had never occurred to him to make himself look more attractive. By the time he had considered anything, it was too late. He had become the recluse, the crewman who hid himself from fellow crew, who'd rather study than walk about a strange new world.

He had never made friends on Voyager, merely looking upon his colleagues as just that: colleagues. Now he had come to know B'Elanna Torres better, and knew a lot more about Neelix and Chell who had pestered him the last two weeks to translate all their produce names from Phoenician to English, and to teach them a little Phoenician.

"Because, you see, Lieutenant," Neelix had stated effusively with a hand-wringing, smiling Chell nodding as if his head would drop off, "we would like to tell the good ladies at the produce market in their own language how much we appreciate their helping us…" He had spent many hours daily in the libraries of Injasuti, studying the planet's history, the history of the settlers, the great legends that were born from the Great Ship that brought the first peoples to this world. He had learned from those earliest texts that the Protectors visited worlds and nations where there was  military strife, where people were in danger of being exterminated, and brought them to settle elsewhere. For the people of Carthage they chose this world, Injasuti, because it resembled Earth, their homeworld.

There was much to learn and much the people of Injasuti could learn from him, from Voyager. In one of his consultations with Captain Janeway, it had led to her placing him in charge of downloading all the historical records of ancient Rome, ancient Carthage, ancient Greece, Egypt, indeed, all of Europe before the common era to the libraries of the cities of Injasuti.

He had come to know Seven of Nine much better and even liked her, for like him, she was also something of an outsider, not fitting in and yet ably doing her duty on Voyager. Now he understood her, where before he’d thought her too high-handed, too aloof and self-assured. She was still those things, he admitted to himself, but he could handle her self-assurance better, even argue with her. And she had been willing to learn from him too!

Yes, for the first time he looked properly at his colleagues and realised that they were normal men and women who also needed comfort, needed friendship, just as he needed theirs.

Here on Injasuti he had come to discover himself. He fell in love with its people, seduced by the planet's culture. At last he felt that he fitted in, that he belonged somewhere. He could converse with them in their own language and his heart soared with pride when he could understand them.

Marcus stood up and stretched to relieve the stiffness in his legs. It was time to go down again. Just a thousand metre downward walk and within  an hour, he would again stand on even ground. So he began his hike down, returning to the river's edge. From about two hundred metres up the slope he had seen her, her back to him. She appeared quite small in the distance. He paused, gave a great big sigh before continuing. Ten minutes later he stood in front of her.

"I thought I would find you here, Marcus Kiridis."

Livia was beautiful, he thought. Beautiful, and almost as tall as he. She had the colouring of Commander Chakotay, with light brown eyes. But it was Livia's hair that was her pride. Flaxen, her hair was parted in the middle, caught in a long braid that trailed past her buttocks. Livia looked at him with expectant eyes.

"I have made my decision, Livia…" he said, letting his words trail. After much pondering, it hadn't been difficult after all. It was Voyager's last day in orbit around Injasuti and one by one, or in small groups, the crew were beaming up to the ship where Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay and the senior officers were waiting for them.

"I leave it to you, Lieutenant," Captain Janeway had told him the day before. "Whatever you decide, I want you to know that I will respect your decision."

Now he looked at Livia Gaiden and thought how beautiful she looked, how she loved him without reserve, how she looked past his unattractive appearance and told him he looked normal. From the first day he met her, he’d felt the attraction. He had never in his life really been in love. He had been in one or two very brief relationships; women generally avoided him as a possible partner.

His heart was heavy.

"You cannot stay?" she asked, reading his thoughts.

"I am sorry, Livia."

"You love Injasuti." There was a note of desperation in her voice.  "You told me you could never fit in on Voyager…"

Marcus closed his eyes briefly, cursing himself for having told her that two weeks ago. He opened his eyes, closing the distance between them, for he was standing about two metres away from her, and took her hands in his.

"I have learned so much about this world, Livia. Its culture, its language, its history, its people, its traditions, its legends. I could not have been happier had I been anywhere else. Here I found who I am. Here I discovered depths I never knew were in me.

"I thought I would be the happiest person in the universe if I remained and made my home here, on Injasuti. I speak the language of the people; I feel at home here. There are so many things that, when I look upon them, feel familiar to me, as if I had never been away, or had been born here. On Voyager, I rarely mixed with colleagues, never took shore leave. I spent my free time studying ancient languages and cultures. It was what I loved doing and why coming to Injasuti felt to me as if I belonged…"

"But you will leave, Marcus. Why?"

"When Commander Chakotay ordered me on the away team to the derelict ship, I had no idea that my life would change so much. Because of my abilities, he asked me to be on the away teams to Injasuti. I got to work closely with senior officers I had never actually seen on a day to day basis, let alone worked with. For the first time in my life, I got to know them, and my old fears of being and working with other crewmembers slowly dissipated. I became relaxed in their company, but most importantly, Livia, I came to realise that I'm not lonely, that loneliness was something which I created within myself.

"Voyager is not just a ship on its way to Earth. It is, I realise now, my home, and its crew - the captain, first officer, senior officers - they're the family I never had. They're the family I need."

"But Injasuti…you love this world…"

"I do. But do you know what? Being here, among its people, its culture and tradition, has made me more aware of my own roots, my own homeland. I am almost Carthaginian, but the Carthage of Earth, the Ancient World your historical records speak of. I was born in what used to be called Macedonia. I am of my earth, of Macedonia, of Carthage, of Greece. I long now to see my Earth again, to feel its soil beneath my feet and know: this is my land. I long for my sunrises and sunsets, for days of thunder and days of clear blue skies, for the Grand Canyon where I always felt close to God…"

Livia smiled sadly. She reached to touch his cheek, roughened by beard stubble.

"I can see that I had no chance against your love for Voyager and for your land. I wish you well, Marcus of Macedonia, Carthage and Greece…"

His heart felt light, the excitement rippling through him. Livia had arrived here in a flitter and would return to the Place of the Weeping Water where she would again oversee the housekeeping of the palace, the new reforms that had already begun on Injasuti. He kissed the palm of her hand.

Voyager, his family, and Earth, his home, was too great an inducement to remain in this wonderful place.

He stood back, suddenly formal as he hit his commbadge.

"Kiridis to Voyager. One to beam up…"

 

END

   

EPILOGUE

 He stood on what had once been the old Byrsa Hill, home of the great Citadel of ancient Carthage. He imagined daily life – men trading at the harbour markets, women with silk garments brought in from the east, children playing in the dusty streets, dogs barking, chasing after cats.

Once it had been a thriving city, bustling with activity. The Tophet was visible from the Hill, all the remaining steles still upright, though they were dusty with age. Underneath the steles lay the remains of babies and young children sacrificed to the gods Moloch, Baal, Astarte, Eshmoun, Tanith - from an age when live human offering was thought to be the highest honour in life, in death. He could hear the cries of the women filling the air, their hands thrown heavenwards either in supplication or desperation and anguish.  Sometimes the wealthy would take a child of the poor in order to save their own children from sacrifice.

The old harbour was still there – two harbours really, shaped like horseshoes facing each other – which in ancient times housed the battle ships, long, sleek triremes, as well as the merchant fleet. Now, white yachts with tall masts owned by admirals and high ranking officials of the Federation graced the harbour.  If he focused on one of them, he could read the name his father had given it on its starboard bow: Silver Spirit.

He imagined the battles of the Third Punic War, the Roman quinqueremes sleek, fast and flawless as they destroyed the pride of Carthage. He imagined he saw the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Barca capitulate to the Roman general Scipio Aemelianus Africanus, Isabel and her sons throwing themselves into the fire pits.

Now came the soldiers, some who had arrived via Egypt on horseback, others brought by the very quinqueremes that laid to waste the merchant fleet. Thundering hooves up the hills and terraces, and with the cries of the people echoing in the late afternoon as they murdered and plundered the city, followed by the fires that raged for many days and nights without end.

The words of the great historian Appian I of Alexandria came to him…

_The object hovered, hovered, and then suddenly, everyone and everything bathed in the light dissolved in an instant, as if the light swallowed them. They were all gone - the Carthaginians, men, women, children, babies, Numidian slaves, traders from neighbouring lands, Roman deserters and dissidents, the Roman soldiers who hunted them on horseback, some soldiers riding chariots, others on foot. They were gone. I sat on a large rock outside the south gateway of Carthage. In the distance, much like a tableau, such as I have seen in wall carvings in the temple of Abydos in my beloved Egypt, where stories were told upon the ancient walls, or in caves or frescos in the temples of Rome three thousand men, women, children, Roman soldiers, deserters, pursuers in one single moment disappeared from the face of the Earth._

Always, during his studies of Injasuti History, there had been the endless wonder about the arrival of humans on Injasuti of the Delta Quadrant, thirty five thousand light years from Earth. Now, from the perspective of one who had seen everything, came an account of the war, the ravages, the destruction of a once great and noble city by an even greater and nobler empire.

Aidan Janeway thought of Appian's words:

_Is it not in the nature of empires to rise and then, ignominiously, fall to a lesser people?_

Eventually Rome fell. The people of Injasuti could not know that the empire that had once been the greatest in the ancient world, could fall, become nothing. They could not know that all they suffered, all they lost, all they sacrificed, had not been in vain. For were they not given the blessing of a continued, thriving existence in another world, far, far away from the ravages of war?

 *

It was time to go. He heard slow trudging up the hill, heard his name called from down below where many other tourists were visiting the excavations and old ruins, and like him, imagining life in Carthage.

Aidan turned and smiled.

He saw his parents, Admirals Janeway and Chakotay, make their way up the hill, his father holding his mother's hand. A warmth spread through him. Their love shone, clear for all to see and he was proud to be their son, proud of how his father always protected his mother. He knew about Queen Toreth, he had a framed photograph of her among his personal effects, but Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay were the mother and father who loved him without condition. He was their son, soon to embark on a mission to Injasuti.

Suddenly impatient and excited, he rushed down Byrsa Hill to meet them.

  ** 

 

FIN.

 

 


End file.
